The Valerie Fund Blog

To say that The Valerie Fund's Executive Director, Barry Kirschner, is into music would be quite the understatement. Barry is a lifelong aficionado of many genres of music but has a special affinity for Classic Rock and Blues. During this COVID-19 social distancing time, Barry has gone through his extensive CD and vinyl collection to pick out some of his all-time favorite songs and performances. And kids, if you don't know what "vinyl" means, ask your parents. 

Susan Yarad is a Valerie Fund mom who knows about handling stress and anxiety. She tells the story of her family's own battle with cancer and how the lessons learned might be the key to keeping steady during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A few weeks ago we provided some tips and tricks from JAG-ONE Physical Therapy about how to safely start training for a 5K. With The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K coming up on June 13th, we're continuing our series with some advice on what to keep around - and what to get rid of - to keep your 5K training on track ... or treadmill or street. 

On February 27th, friends and supporters of The Valerie Fund came together at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City's Columbus Circle. They came to get a deeper understanding of what The Valerie Fund provides to its families as well as to pledge their support for the coming year. Let's take a look at the 9th Annual Taste of Giving and enjoy a gallery of photos from the evening. 

On March 5th, team captains for The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy joined us at the JAG-ONE in Chatham, NJ for a Team Captains Kick-Off. If you weren't able to make it but still want the insider info and fundraising tips, keep reading!

Congratulations! You’ve just signed up for The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K run to be held on June 13th! With excitement and anticipation flowing through your veins, you just can’t wait to put on your best pair of running shoes and head over to the mercifully flat course surrounding and within beautiful Verona Park. Similar to how an athlete must train for the upcoming season, 5K participants must season their body so they’ll be able to complete the event in its entirety without getting hurt. If it’s your first time participating in a 5K, or you'd appreciate a little refresher, here’s what you’ll need to know to prepare for the big race.

The men and women of The Valerie Fund help raise the money that support the seven Children's Centers in hospitals across New Jersey, New York City, and metro Philadelphia. Our staff is responsible for working with donors and partners at all levels to fund the services of The Valerie Fund. Get better acquainted with some of the people you may already know and meet some of the new faces behind The Valerie Fund. 

Kids Ice Cancer and The Valerie Fund are teaming up to score a goal against pediatric cancer in New Jersey. Kids Ice Cancer was founded in 2019 by 16-year-old Andrew Low, who lost loved ones to cancer. Andrew, a sophomore at the Morristown-Beard School, wanted to combine his love of hockey with his desire to raise money for pediatric cancer charities. He recruited 40 kids from the North Jersey area to participate in the Kids Ice Cancer annual hockey game. In the few months leading up to the game, the players all raise money for pediatric cancer. This year, Kids Ice Cancers fundraising will go to The Valerie Fund and the All-Star Hockey Game will be on Friday, March 27th at 7:00 PM. The game will be held at the most thrilling new venue in New Jersey, American Dream.

The Valerie Fund Walk & JAG-ONE Physical Therapy 5K on June 13^th will be a powerful day for The Valerie Fund community. Patients, families, and friends from all over the area will come together in Essex County's Verona Park in Verona, NJ for a day of running, walking, eating, and sharing stories honoring the heroes, the brave children of The Valerie Fund. But did you know there is a very special group of people at the Walk who go above and beyond all year to ensure that we raise the most money possible for our Valerie Fund kids?

Learn what makes our Team Captains such a vital part of the Walk and how this year, The Valerie Fund will be giving them something special to recognize their efforts. 

A new year (and decade!) brings with it a bounty of opportunities and we are excited for the year to come. 2019 was a great success for The Valerie Fund (you can see what happened in 2019 by clicking here) and we are hoping to be able to support more programs for our kids in 2020. We have already begun planning our fundraising events for the year so let's take a look at where you'll be able to find The Valerie Fund in 2020.