A Message From Our Founder
Our Supporters are our Heroes!
Wow, this year has been busy for FPS! We are so lucky to be able to count on thousands of heroes that give generously of their time and treasure to ensure FPS families can take a break from cancer.
Our office received 669 program inquiries - resulting in 251 families served (this includes families nominated in the prior year, but traveling in the 17-18 year). A sharpened focus on serving the emotional needs of our patients, caregivers, and kids increased our emotional support contacts by 37%. Our staff and volunteers connected with patients and caregivers 875 times to provide resources, emotional support, guidance and time together to celebrate the goodness of life!
Behind these numbers are faces – faces of patients, caregivers and children who have received devastating news, and were able to transform their outlook because of a respite experience YOU provided. You help them laugh. You help them remember. You help them create moments in time. Your own face is forever etched in the smile of their face.
Thank you for being our HERO to FPS families.
With gratitude, Marci Schankweiler, FPS Founder and CEO (Marci@takeabreakfromcancer.org)
Our impact remains steady, with 100% of nominators reporting post-respite improvement in the patient, caregiver and children's ability to cope with cancer. Our patients and caregivers report strengthened bonds and improved outlook on life with with cancer. We believe renewed relationships and outlooks lead to better outcomes as families tackle together a cancer diagnosis.
We understand how important it is to take a break and enjoy time with loved ones.
Taking a break and enjoying the little things in life is essential to our mission. We give our patients and their loved ones a chance to make love greater than cancer at least once a month! We hosted 11 Traveler Engagement Events, 1 Traveler Reception, 7 Carry on Club Events, our Adopt a Family Christmas Gift program (helping make the holidays brighter for 45 families) and welcomed dozens of patients and their caregivers to our gala, fashion show, golf tournament and walk! We produce a monthly self-care newsletter for our patients and caregivers, and have been overjoyed by the connections made within our patient and caregiver community through these moments to take a break.
Our Annual Traveler Reception
Our Traveler Reception is a complimentary Holiday Party for those in our respite vacation program. It's a special time to celebrate the triumphs of the year, and look forward to a hopeful future. We are grateful for this day together!
The Fuller Family traveled to Florida in 2015 and told us, "What you do for families touches and refreshes the soul."
The Morton Family traveled to Atlantic City, NJ in 2017 and told us, "We didn't think about cancer on our trip, we just thought about having fun!"
Dwayne Snipes, caregiver to his wife, Michelle, shares a moment with FPS volunteer, Nile Linn. The Snipes family took a break from cancer in January 2017 and said "We would like to thank all the people who helped us create this remarkable experience."
Pam Brumbaugh (center in black shirt), FPS staff member, shares smiles with two families who traveled on FPS respite vacations, the Kotusky Family and the Garabo Family.
Annually, over 4,100 people and corporations support our mission by donating, hosting an event or volunteering. The FPS community is filled with generous hearts, who give selflessly to ensure families facing cancer never have to fight alone. We are so grateful for each act of kindness!
The Lahetta Family traveled on an FPS respite vacation to Florida, and their trip was so meaningful that they decided to plan an annual Color Race fundraiser. Their efforts were inspired by another FPS Family, the Cunninghams, who hosted their own Color Race for many years.
Carl Lahetta passed away in July 2018, surrounded by the love of his family. This event meant so much to him and his wife, Suzanne, and we are grateful for the kindness they showed to others amidst their own challenges.
We received our largest grant ever from Chick-fil-A Foundation's True Inspiration Awards! We were nominated by Chick-fil-A of East Norriton, PA and are so thankful for the support of Alan Zarkoski and his entire team! Lem Woodson, Jr, is the Marketing Director at the East Norriton location, and he played a special role in rallying support for FPS, as the final phase of the awards required votes from our community! We were excited to receive $75,000 which was greatly needed to help us enhance our program.
Stantec in The Community (SITC) Week is 5 days of worldwide community service that took place September 18-22, 2017!
Stantec Architecture and Engineering in Philadelphia, PA selected For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (FPS) as one of their supported charities. Throughout the week, Stantec hosted a silent auction and raffled off products and services donated by companies to raise funds for FPS.
This event was championed by Tahisha Anderson. Tahisha’s brother, Ivan, traveled on and FPS respite vacation in 2016 with his girlfriend Brandy. Tahisha continues to give back in Ivan’s memory and this year’s event raised $2,279 to benefit the next young adult cancer patient and provide them with a break from cancer! Thank you so much to Tahisha, all the companies who donated their products/services, Santec and their associates.
Phi Sigma Sigma at York College of Pennsylvania hosted a day of service, writing notes to FPS Travelers. They also donated two travel backpacks for children of our patients and raised $500 for FPS!
Our Founder and CEO, Marci, led the day of service and shared some inspirational words with the women of Phi Sigma Sigma!
Woodloch Resort in the Poconos continued to put smiles on the faces of dozens of patients, caregivers and their kids each year. Woodloch is a Travel Partner of FPS, and provides accommodations for FPS families each year to take a break from cancer. We are so grateful for the home-away-from-home they provide to our Travelers!
We pride ourselves in being excellent stewards of our donor's dollars. Therefore, we support a culture of complete transparency in all of our operations and fiscal spending. We are proud to hold the PANO Standards for Excellence Accreditation and the Guidestar Platinum Seal. Thank you for your support and your trust.
Our Signature Events give us a chance to take a break with our supporters, while raising funds to help families take a break from cancer! These totals include Annual Appeal donations collected at each event.
Our 8th Annual Walk at Citizens Bank Park let love lead the way for families facing cancer! Over 1,200 walkers raised $122,300.
We honored FPS nominator, Dr. Et-Tsu Chen, with our Gratitude Award at our 18th Annual Beach Ball Gala at Vie! Almost 600 guests raised $140,600.
The Free Shop in Ambler, PA dressed our models for our 19th Annual Dinner and Fashion Show! Almost 300 Fashionistas raised $72,300.
Our 18th Annual Peter R. Bossow, Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament is always filled with fun games and surprises, like a duck chip! Over 130 supporters raised $68,900.
FPS IS PROUD TO RECEIVE GIFTS FROM THOUSANDS OF CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS EACH YEAR. OUR GIVING COMMUNITIES CREATE SUSTAINING, FUTURE AND LASTING INCOME. CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO VIEW THE MEMBERS.
With a $3 million dollar goal, our Healing, Hope and Happiness endowment campaign aims to be the primary source from which perpetual respite support continues year after year. For Pete’s Sake, join us in creating what will be the future of our life-altering mission!
Our Monthly Memory Makers donate a designated amount to For Pete’s Sake each month as a way to sustain our mission. Each month, this gift gives families facing cancer the most precious gift of time together.
Our Planned Giving supporters have said “yes” to leaving a legacy of hope—a legacy that will forever link their life story to adult cancer patients and their families helped through For Pete’s Sake. No gift is too small and we encourage to give in honor or in memory of a loved one! If you have already named For Pete’s Sake in your estate, please let us know.
Pete’s Partners is our way to create customize unique partnership opportunities to respect the philanthropic nature of any size corporation. The generosity of our corporate partners allows us to provide respite vacations and emotional support for families in the cancer crisis.
The following donors contributed $500 or more within the fiscal year, a full list of annual donors is available upon request.
Some of our annual gifts were made to FPS in memory of loved ones and in honor of birthdays, weddings and special people:
Thank you for your support of our mission! You helped us transform hundreds of lives in one year! We'd also like to thank our volunteers who donate their time and talent so generously. If you'd like to contribute to our mission in a meaningful way, please email Info@takeabreakfromcancer.org
Sincerely, The FPS Board of Directors and Staff