Back to School

Quick Links Donate Online Wish List Download Brochure When you participate in the Friends of Karen Back to School program, you give parents peace of mind and ensure children will be prepared for school, feel well taken care of and hopeful to start the new year. Your support makes all the difference. We plan to give every child – ill

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For Health Professionals – Refer a Family

As our partner in helping families, health professionals are key to identifying families who may be eligible for Friends of Karen assistance. Here’s our process: A hospital social worker usually makes the initial referral of a family to ensure that they meet our guidelines. To refer a family, please call (914) 617-4057. After the initial referral is made, the family must

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Mother’s Day 2024: More time to Mother

The Friends of Karen Family Support Team develop strong bonds with the families they work with through the span of many months and at times years. Though every family is unique and we view each member of the family as special, the boundless love and strength of the mothers inspire our continuous and steadfast support. We know that so often

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Sibling Support Program

Who we are The Friends of Karen Sibling Support Specialists are a team of experienced Certified Child Life Specialists and Licensed/Board Certified Creative Arts Therapists. Who we help Because we understand that an illness affects the entire family, we specialize in working with ill children and their siblings. What we do Our Sibling Support Specialists provide home visits as well

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Planned Giving 2

Planned Giving Sheila Petersen Legacy of Giving Circle Leave your imprint to benefit future generations. Read More Begin your legacy with us To help you get started on your plans and legacy, you can use FreeWill, an online tool that guides you through the process of creating a legally valid will or trust. It’s easy to use, accessible online and

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Privacy Policy

FRIENDS OF KAREN TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY Friends of Karen takes the protection of your personal information seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we may collect, how we may use that information, and the steps we take to ensure the information you give us is protected. It applies to personal information we collect through this website,

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Easter, Passover, Springtime Holiday Meals

This spring, please help our Friends of Karen children and their families enjoy a special Easter, Passover or other springtime holiday meal. Your donation of supermarket gift cards will help make this possible. Why gift cards? When a child is diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening illness, parents feel like their lives are spinning out of control. Family life and

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Need help? When you learn the shocking news that your child is seriously ill, a million emotions and practical problems hit you all at once. Friends of Karen have guided families through this journey thousands of times. We are here to help. Get Involved Looking for ways to donate, volunteer or partner with us to help those in need? Contact

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Who We Serve

Friends of Karen serves families with a child (newborn through age 21) who has been diagnosed with and is actively in treatment for cancer or another life-threatening illness, who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and who lives in one of the following boroughs or counties (for at least 12 months prior to their diagnosis): New York City: Bronx,

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Nico Nicolette Matteo

SIBLING SPOTLIGHT Born just 14 months apart, siblings Nico, 6, and twins Matteo and Nicolette, 5 have always been more like triplets. The strength of their bond was immediately apparent the first time we met them while participating in Friends of Karen’s Friends Having Fun group. They giggled together while they scrambled to find items for the scavenger hunt activity- bringing their signature

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