by Ava Tsapatsaris
MAY 2021 UPDATE: The Loukoumi Make a Difference Foundation rallies over 100,000 kids each year to make a difference on National Make a Difference Day. But, for fundraisers for Make a Difference with Loukoumi Project for St. Jude “Makes A Difference Day” is not just on October 23rd – it is everyday! To date, loukoumakia all across America have raised over $62,000 to benefit The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation Treatment Room at St. Jude which thanks to your support was named in October 2019. The Loukoumi Foundation has now pledged to raise $150,000 and encourage thousands of kids to participate in making cards and collecting money to help fund the room. Among the top fundraisers are Ava Tsapatsaris (Me, $12,830), The Greenvale School of Eastchester, New York ($7,746) and Matteo Lambert ($5,050)! Following those fundraisers are numerous other teams who are helping The Loukoumi Foundation raise $150,000 and encourage kids all across America to participate in making cards. If you are interested in creating your own team, visit www.fundraising.stjude.org/Loukoumi and press “register”. You can even make your own card today by emailing a picture to loukoumi@aol.com, and make a donation on the Loukoumi Foundation’s St Jude Website: www.fundraising.stjude.org/Loukoumi. I am excited to see who will make a team next! We still have $87,385 left to raise. Ask your family and friends to donate to your team. Once you register, you will get a personal page link where people can donate. Without your help, we cannot make a difference in the lives of kids at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
APRIL 2021 UPDATE: Since 2015, teams across the United States have been making cards for patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and also collecting $1 donations to support the The Loukoumi Foundation Treatment Room which was named in October 2019.
Through the Make a Difference with Loukoumi Project, The Loukoumi Foundation is committing to raise funds to sponsor the room in connection with their STARR (Success Through Academic Resources and Research) Program. Because patients at St. Jude often miss periods of school due to their medical treatments, St. Jude has created the STARR Program to ensure that patients have the reading skills they need for academic success.
When patients visit St. Jude for check-ups and consultations with doctors and specialists they visit the Hematology Clinic known as the “H Clinic.” The exam rooms off the waiting area are not only used by physicians to treat the patients but also simultaneously by STARR program coordinators, who meet with patients in the rooms, before, during or after their treatments and check-ups, to facilitate the program.
The Loukoumi Foundation has pledged to raise $150,000 and encourage thousands of kids to participate in making cards and collecting money to help fund The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation Treatment Room. To date, $62,605 has been raised to fund the room. $87,395 still needs to be raised, so what are you waiting for? Make your own card today by emailing a picture to loukoumi@aol.com, and make a donation on the Loukoumi Foundation’s St. Jude Website on www.fundraising.stjude.org/Loukoumi. Thank you for helping us make a difference for the patients at St. Jude!
