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Be Inspired: Meet Isabel

Meet Isabel! She is helpful, organized and energetic.

Isabel and her friend, Nina both share a love for animals and have a soft spot for dogs. After learning about the MSPCA’s need for dog beds, blankets, toys, food and other items, they decided to host their own dog shelter drive. They reached out to their teacher to see if they could host the drive at school and thankfully she gave them the green light!

She and her friend Nina hosted a dog supply drive for the MSPCA Shelter.

Next, they took the necessary steps to launch the drive by promoting it to their classmates and placed a collection bin outside the school’s front office. Shortly after they launched the drive, their bin was filled with dog beds, blankets, treats and toys for the dogs at MSPCA Boston.

To get to know Isabel better, we asked this 8-year-old for some fun facts:

  • Favorite color: Bright pink, baby blue and light purple
  • Favorite food: Chicken Fingers 
  • Favorite toy: Slime
  • Favorite movie: Leap
  • To conclude, we asked Nina to finish the follow statement:

I WANT TO BE: A teacher or a Veterinarian

We are inspired by Isabel’s efforts to make the world a better place!

 Do you know someone who’s using their time, talents, and treasures to help those in need? Nominate them to be featured for our “Be Inspired” piece! Email us at info@thebfund.org for more information.

Save Me A Seat: A must read!

In the melting pot that is America, there are many cultures that surround us. Although many cultures are represented in our nation, not all people take the time to understand the differences and learn what makes each of us similar.

“Save Me a Seat” by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan offers insight to the life of two fifth grade students who are struggling for acceptance in their school. One student, Ravi, had just moved from India. His lunches were vegetarian and looked strange to the other students. Joe, who has an auditory disorder, enjoys classic American lunches. Both students have a resentment toward one another at first, based off their clear differences.

Joe and Ravi find that they both are the target of the schools biggest bully. After talking a few times, they find they have a common goal – TAKE DOWN THE BULLY! The boys begin to talk more and soon enough, through their common goal they become the best of friends.

Joe and Ravi show us that if people look past things that make us different, we may just be able to accomplish so much more. And who knows, maybe we will find a lifelong friend along the way.

This story of human connection shows the importance of giving people who may be different from ourselves a chance. You never know what you could accomplish if you love those around you, or how important a person might become to you.  

Always be kind and reach out to someone you may not normally chat with in passing. You never know what they are feeling, and a simple hello may change their day and make them feel accepted. 

 

 

Be Inspired: Meet Lorna

Meet Lorna! She is kind, determined and brave.

Driving a goal fueled by compassion is unstoppable, and Lorna Brunelle is a woman who cannot be stopped. Lorna is a shining example of what can be accomplished when you marry your head with your heart to better the world around us.

A cancer survivor herself, Lorna has dedicating much of her time in supporting those with cancer as a patient advocate. She also involves herself with cancer research in the fight to find a cure. In fact, Lorna received the “One Hundred” Award from Massachusetts General Hospital for her efforts to eradicate cancer. In addition to this, Boston recognized her tireless efforts and declared October 22nd to be Lorna J. Brunelle Day.

As a child, when she wasn’t creating masterpieces in her easy bake oven, Lorna was practicing the philosophy her mother instilled in her. As stated by the great Martin Luther King JR., “somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others”. This statement became a way of life for Lorna.

Lorna certainly takes this statement into action, doing for others in many organizations like the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, Children Chernobyl Project USA, Miss Massachusetts Pageant and Miss America Organization, Children’s Hospital of Boston, Children’s Miracle Network,  The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Comedy For A Cause/Cure, Designer Couture For A Cure, Wounded Warriors, Operation Helping Hand.

A graduate from The Boston Conservatory, Lorna has a clear passion for the arts. Continuing her involvement in the arts, working at Boston Casting Inc. and owning Burt Wood School of Performing Arts and The Alley Theatre.

Lorna’s love for the arts doesn’t stop with performance. Lorna pursued the creative art of writing, publishing “The Buoy Projects – A Story of Breast Cancer, Bucket -Lists, Life Lessons, Facebook and Love” in 2016 and Amazon Bestseller “Dirty Bombshell – From Thyroid Cancer Back to Fabulous” in 2010.

At the B Fund, we ask “What will you be?”

Lorna told us, “I will be advocating for those who haven’t found their voice, lending a hand to people who need support, and spending time in my kitchen cooking for the people I love”.

It is clear that Lorna will continue to create beauty and care for others without outstanding compassion. She is a true inspiration to our community.

Do you know someone who’s using their time, talents, and treasures to help those in need? Nominate them to be featured for our “Be Inspired” piece! Email us at info@thebfund.org for more information.

 

BE INSPIRED: Meet Nina

Meet Nina! She is funny, smart, and energetic.

Nina and her friend, Isabel both have share a love for dogs. They learned that some dogs don’t have homes and live in shelters, which are in need of resources and supplies. The girls also learned the MSPCA in Boston had a wish list of items needed for their shelter. With that in mind, the girls reached out to their second-grade teacher wondering if they could host a drive to collect supplies and resources at their school.

Next, the girls contacted all their fellow students in the second grade respectfully asking them to donate dog treats, blankets, and toys. The girls took action and placed a collection bin outside the schools’ front office, which soon after collected dozens of much needed resources for the dogs at MSPCA Boston.

To get to know Nina better, we asked this 8-year-old for some fun facts:

  • Favorite color: Hot pink and turquoise
  • Favorite food: Cake
  • Favorite toy: Slime
  • Favorite movie: Leap

 

To conclude, we asked Nina to finish the follow statement:

I WANT TO BE: A Singer

We are inspired by Nina’s efforts to make the world a better place!

 

Do you know someone who’s using their time, talents, and treasures to help those in need? Nominate them to be featured for our “Be Inspired” piece! Email us at info@thebfund.org for more information.

 

Continue to BE INSPIRED by Rebecca: UPDATE

UPDATE!

Continue to BE INSPIRED by Rebecca.

In April, The B Fund highlighted Rebecca, a 16-year-old from Needham who raised $3,000 for The B Fund and the American Junior Golf Associations (AJGA) grant program through the AJGA ‘s Leadership Links program. 

Leadership Links is a nonprofit organization that helps provide an interactive way for young golfers to give back. Using their fundraising platform, for every birdie that Rebecca makes in tournaments, donors can pledge to give a certain amount to both the AJGA’s grant program and The B Fund.

As Rebecca approached the 2018 season, she was determined to make a huge impact and doubled her goal to $6,000.

Currently, Rebecca is at the halfway point of her season and we are blown away by her progress! To date, Rebecca has:

  • Raised $10,649.00 (surpassing her goal of $6,000)
  • Made 38 Birdies

Rebecca’s efforts are a true example of someone using their time, talents and treasures to raise awareness for families caring for critically ill children.

To learn more about Rebecca and support her efforts, click HERE.

Do you know a child who’s performing acts of kindness? Nominate them for our “Be Inspired” feature! Email us at info@thebfund.org to learn more.

Be Inspired: Meet Ty

Meet Ty! He is kind, funny, and a terrific athlete.

Ty and his cousin, Dylan, recently teamed up to provide lodging for families caring for critically ill children. The boys learned that children are not always able to receive care near their family’s homes. In fact, many families travel from other states and even countries to receive care for their children. Patient family housing enables these families to stay close their children, but it costs approximately $100 each week.

The cousins wanted to help keep these families close together, so they decided to start their own soap-making project called Bubble Soap Mania and opened a shop on Etsy. They set a goal to raise $250, enough to provide two and a half weeks of patient family housing to a family in need. To date, they have raised $342.00! That’s over three weeks of patient family housing.

To get to know Ty better, we asked this 8-year-old for some fun facts:

  • Hobbies: Football, making soap and reading
  • Favorite movie: Black Panther
  • Favorite B Fund activity: Halloween Candy Drive
  • Favorite way to brighten someone’s day: Telling a joke!

Lastly, we asked Ty to finish the following statement:

I WANT TO BE: Unique, Strong and a Game Changer!

Ty’s efforts demonstrate one of the many ways that children can customize their involvement with The B Fund. No matter what a child likes to do, they can use their own time and talents to make a huge impact!

To learn more about Ty and his cousin Dylan’s efforts, visit their  FUNDRAISING PAGE.  

Do you know someone who’s using their time, talents, and treasures to help those in need? Nominate them to be featured for our “Be Inspired” piece! Email us at info@thebfund.org for more information.