We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lori Griffith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lori below.
Lori, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Chasin A Dream Foundation was created to provide financial and other services to families with children battling cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease and other life threatening illnesses and disabilities. While working in the healthcare field, I had a chance meeting with a young woman in the hospital parking lot as I was leaving work one day. She was distraught and upon seeing my badge asked if I could help her. I had no idea what she needed and I explained that I worked as office manager and was not a clinical person. She started pouring her heart out about her little 2 year old daughter who was battling leukemia and she didn’t feel she was getting the help she needed and didn’t know where to turn to.
We spoke for two hours and she invited me to come to her daughters room the next day to meet. When I came back in the morning there was the sweetest little girl I’d ever met. We all became really great friends and over the course of our friendship, she became sicker and sicker. The mom who lost her job because she missed so much working caring for her daughter soon lost their home and had to move into their car. The car was eventually repossessed and they were homeless. An organization helped them find a home and the little girl’s health was failing fast. It was absolutely heartbreaking to watch and the mom was desperate to get her child into a clinical trial but it wasn’t happening.
One morning I received a frantic call from the mom letting me know her daughter had passed at home and could I come right over. When I got there the scene was so heartbreaking and the little girl was in her moms bed. After some time passed I asked when the funeral home was coming and she said she hadn’t called anyone and had no idea. I had never dealt with this before so I started making phone calls and was told to call funeral homes. I did and was shocked when no one could come and get her body without some sort of payment. The mom had no money, I didn’t have any and I couldn’t believe this was happening. I finally went to my friends on social media and within 20 minutes we had a funeral home that would come and pick up the little girl. I guess it’s all in who you know. We still needed to get them money – several thousands – so I again went to social media and raised the funds for her funeral, burial, headstone and all subsequent costs.
I could not believe this was happening. Why should a family have to lose everything they have in order to try and save their child’s life, and then sadly lose their child. Given the chance, I wanted to do something to help. That is where the idea for Chasin A Dream Foundation came from.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
Chasin A Dream Foundation is based on the premise of “locals helping locals”. I strongly believe in community and transparency and if you can involve local people and businesses in the lives of local children who need their help, it only makes stronger community ties. All too often when people donate to organizations they have no idea where their dollars are going to and if they are in fact making an actual difference. At Chasin A Dream we tell the stories of the children and families that we are helping and we follow their journey through illness. We also don’t limit our funds to one illnesses (e.g. cancer), rather we try to help children with all life threatening illnesses and disabilities. By telling their story, seeing their faces, and keeping people updated, this helps people to relate and feel connected and know they are truly making a difference.
After working several years in the healthcare industry I saw first hand the need for an organization such as Chasin A Dream that could directly help the children in our Tri-county area. We have three major programs: The Critical Need Program assists families that have a child battling a life threatening illness and are struggling under the weight of massive medical bills. We help with housing, transportation, food, basic necessities and utilities. The Hospital Backpack Program provides a backpack to newly diagnosed children (2 and older) and contains an iPad in addition to many comfort items. The third program is Forever Faith (named in honor of Faith, a little girl who passed before her first birthday) and provides funeral assistance.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Transparency is key to building our business. This is one of the things that people have come to rely on. We use social media extensively on Facebook and Instagram by telling the stories of the children that we are assisting. The children and their families continually share with us the journey they are on and have received so much emotional support from the community by our sharing. The non-profit world is tough because it just takes a few bad apples to scare people away from donating. That is why I believe in full transparency and community involvement. It has proven successful and people/businesses have responded because they know they are making an actual difference and they know where their money is being directed to.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
With a wing and a prayer. I had less than 10,000 in the bank when I started Chasin A Dream Foundation but I never doubted that it would be successful. There were a few initial bumps along the way in getting started and finding the right team, but that is probably the case in any business. I just had a vision and a dream that I knew I could make happen and I never let doubt creep in. To date, I still believe in keeping my eye on the mission, involving the public, and staying true to my beliefs. This has never let me down and I have never let the community down.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chasinadream.org
- Instagram: chasinadreamfoundation
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasinadreamfoundation