March 2021 [Updated December 2021]
Our beautiful and beloved Betty touched all of us in ways that made us feel like we were special. There are no words to describe the immense impact of losing someone as compassionate as Betty. She was an incredible person who left a lasting impression on everyone who crossed her path.
To honor Betty's memory and continue her work of supporting those in need, a memorial fund was created to benefit children and the most pressing community issues. Our mission is to help those organizations that were dear to Betty and that speak to the essence and character of our mother.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of her friends and family, we have raised over $7,000 the past month for the The Mother Goose Memorial Fund!
In addition to the donations, a beautiful crabapple tree will be planted this spring in the Massillon Reservoir Park along with a plaque where Mom spent a big portion of her childhood and ours. Her former employer and friends at the YMCA Towpath Trail are also dedicating a tile on the front walk in her memory.
Thank you so much for supporting our Mom and helping us carry on her tradition of making a difference for those in need. We appreciate it and know she would be absolutely thrilled.
Love,
Betty’s Family
CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY MOTHER GOOSE - 2024 DONATIONS
St Vincent de Paul Society Soup Kitchen, Massillon, Ohio
* $1,000 for Easter Hams
Stark County Hunger Taskforce - Backpack for Kids Program via Logan's Lunches
The kids that receive the free lunch program at school are sent home on Friday's with two nutritious breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks for the weekend.
* $500.00 for lunch and snacks for kids during the weekends
CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY MOTHER GOOSE - 2023 DONATIONS
St Vincent de Paul Society Soup Kitchen, Massillon, Ohio
* $250 donation for panty supplies
Cancer Assistance Support Team - Provides financial support to the people of Stark County, Ohio with all types and stages of cancer
* 250 donation for cancer patients
CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY MOTHER GOOSE - 2022 DONATIONS
YMCA Towpath Trail, Massillon Ohio
* $1,000 to help fund indoor playground fees, new toys, and scholarships for the local community
* $175 Donation to YMCA Auction (for a tent) to help fund medical bills for a Tuslaw student fighting Leukemia
Hope Farm Shelter, Akron, Ohio
* $300 Donation to Homeless Shelter
* Tent for the unhoused (YMCA Auction)
CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY MOTHER GOOSE - 2021 CHRISTMAS DONATIONS
St Vincent de Paul Society Soup Kitchen, Massillon, Ohio
* $1,000 for gift cards for Christmas presents for needy parishners
Hope Project: South Street, Akron, Ohio
Group of individuals who are committed to living, serving, and loving on the Summit Lake community in Akron through a variety of programs like urban gardening, bike shop, The Front Porch café, church services, summer camp, after school tutoring, and open gym.
* $250 donation to support the programs to assist women and children in the South Street program
Legends Care Center, Massillon, Ohio
* $200 Sponsored two adults with no families who are residents at The Legends Nursing Home for Christmas
CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY MOTHER GOOSE - FEBRUARY 2021 DONATIONS
St Vincent de Paul Society Soup Kitchen, Massillon, Ohio
Mom volunteered at the soup kitchen on Monday's and would love to buy them a new set of pans and a Chromebook
All food is cooked onsite and boxed to go, for now. 200 people are served each Monday (pending final list of items)
* Refurbished Chromebook to assist with administration and check-ins
* Donation to assist with costs to run the soup kitchen
YMCA Towpath Trail, Massillon, Ohio
Mom worked at the YMCA, primarily the Child Watch Program, on and off for 40 years. They were her work family and where she met many good friends.
Betty is fixing up the Child Watch Room for the kids and helping to pay for their fees:
* New Toys/Books/Activities/Improvements for the child care room
* Subsidize the child care program tuition for families in need
* Tile on the front walk from the YMCA staff in memory of Betty (from the YMCA employees)
St Joseph's Youth Group, Massillon, Ohio
Betty's Buying!
* March 2021: Sponsoring spaghetti dinner for 25-30 families in Massillon, hosted by the St. Joe's Youth Group
Stark County Hunger Taskforce, Massillon/Canton, Ohio
Backpack for Kids Program - Mom is sponsoring an entire school for a month
This program provides weekend meals for three Massillon school districts. The kids that receive the free lunch program at school are sent home on Friday's with two nutritious breakfasts, two lunches, and two snacks for the weekend.
Each month they serve 2,200 children in the Stark County area.
Sports Ministry Camp Scholarshipsm, Akron, Ohio
Kids Summer Camp scholarships for Akron children - Mom is sponsoring seven kids for a one week camp this summer
Mom loved kids and always encouraged us to play sports. One of her grandsons wants to be a camp counselor here one day and she encouraged him to pursue it days before she passed. We think she would want to support them.
This camp provides summer camp scholarships to kids in the Akron area that would otherwise not be able to afford it.
Start Community Foundation - The Women's Fund, Massillon, Ohio
The Women's Fund donates to charities in Stark County that Mom loved. They provide grants to assist locals with:
* Economic Stability and Advancement
* Mental and Emotional Health Support
* Neighborhood Based Programming
* In addition, they are now offering support for people impacted by the pandemic.
Compassionate Friends, Chapter 1408, Massillon, Ohio
Donation to honor Mom in the next newsletter
Mom belonged to this support group for parents that have lost children since the mid-80s, when we lost my brother. Most recently, she was helping other grieving parents by consoling them, sharing her story, and giving advice. Of course she was.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Memorial Donation in Mom's name to honor the work she did with other parents who experienced a loss due to suicide and in memory of Danny.
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Massillon, Ohio
Mom's wish in her will was to donate to her church in her memory. Betty was baptized at St. Joe's and Fr. Ryan held a beautiful final mass for her.