“And since all this loveliness cannot be Heaven, I know in my heart it is June.” – Abba Woolson

 

Here at the JJMF, June is our favorite month of the year. We are very excited for all we have prepared, to celebrate and recognize the children in our community with complex neurological conditions and their families, while honoring and remembering June Jessee as well. She was such a strong and brave girl and continues to bring joy to families each and every day through her everlasting legacy. I encourage you to read more about June here.

 

While I sadly never had the pleasure of meeting June while she was alive, I hope daily that the work we do here at JJMF makes her proud. I know in my heart she is proud of her mom and dad for all the ways they support other parents in our community, and this is one of the many reasons I personally love celebrating the month of June.

 

If you’ve never gotten to experience JJMF’s Month of June celebration, let me tell you a little bit about what we do and how we prepare for this incredible month!

 

Caregiver Care Packages

Each year, the JJMF team spends months curating items to be included in the Month of June Care Packages. We think about the families who may spend days, weeks or months in the hospital with their child. We think about the parents and caregivers who provide around the clock care for their children. Our hope is to bring a smile to their faces and provide them with a few small tools that may bring a bit of relaxation and peace – from a pass for a free yoga class, or words of encouragement and strength through a book about meditation, or a calming moment with a gift card for a cup of coffee or tea. By sending care packages to local hospitals and families both near and far, we hope to provide a small moment of self-care to parents who give so much to their children, as well as provide a sense of supportive community connection. 

 

This year, we are excited to deliver care packages to both St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for families staying inpatient with their kiddos on the neurology and pediatric intensive care units. While JJMF has been delivering care packages for years, we are excited this year to have created and delivered our largest amount yet… 250! 

 

Parent and Caregiver Connection Event

The Parent and Caregiver Connection Event is at a new location this year that we are very excited about! Wild Crush in Town & Country has reserved a beautiful space so JJMF can host an incredible group of caregivers in a lovely atmosphere. JJMF plans this event each year to provide a unique opportunity for parents and caregivers of children with complex neurological conditions to meet, mingle, relax, and connect with others who understand the unique challenges of caring for a child with a complex neurological condition.

 

In-person Music Therapy and Family Picnic

Virtual music therapy is a program the JJMF offers every month. By providing this program virtually, we are able to reach families across the country. But once a year, in St. Louis, The JJMF coordinates an in-person music therapy session combined with a family picnic. We have a specially trained neurological music therapist lead a session of music, dancing, singing, and fun for the kids and their siblings in attendance. Afterward, we provide an opportunity for caregivers to connect and the kiddos to interact as well. And what would a picnic be without snacks and cookies?! 

 

Financial Assistance

While we have a total of six rounds of Financial Assistance per year, in June, we will get to notify multiple families that they’ve received a grant to help relieve some financial burden for things like intensive therapy, medical equipment, hospital bills, and severely needed respite care. To be honest, there are so many parts of my job that I enjoy; but, notifying families who are often facing many challenges, that we are here to lift some of their stress, is truly one of my favorites. 

 

I cannot end this post without thanking our generous donors, who make all of these incredible programs possible. We are touched each and every day by our community of donors who are the backbone of making these programs and services so strong and available.

 

If you hadn’t yet had an opportunity to learn about the variety of ways in which the JJMF is committed to caring for the many parents and caregivers who give their all for their children, I hope that this glimpse into our Month of June celebration has opened your eyes to the ways we can make a positive impact by supporting children with complex neurological conditions and their families. We see you and we appreciate you, and we hope you feel supported throughout the year, but especially in the upcoming month of June!

 

By Becky Belanger, JJMF Programs and Development Manager