Mary Ann Singersen: A.L.S. Family Charitable Foundation
In this episode of the Endpoints, Mary Ann Singersen, President of the A.L.S. Family Charitable Foundation, joins Gabrielle Bellitti, Outreach and Engagement Specialist at ALS TDI to talk about the origin story of the foundation and what they do every day to help ALS families in need and to help accelerate ALS research.
In 1996 Mary Ann Singersen’s family got the devastation news that Mary’s father, Edward, had ALS. Edward passed away two and a half years later in 1998. After her father’s passing, Mary Ann decided she wants to help other people with ALS and their families through fundraising.
Mary Ann met Donna Jordan who was doing a battle of the bands fundraiser and they became very close friends. After several more fundraisers, in 2001 Mary and Donna decided to start their own foundation – the A.L.S. Family Charitable Foundation. Through their efforts, they primarily wanted to help patients and their families who were in need of financial assistance. The Foundation does this through numerous grant programs. These grants support ALS families who are struggling financially by helping with rent, mortgage and bill payments.
They also provide a respite care fund to ensure family caregivers can take a break from their daily care duties. Along with this, they help with children’s back to school expenses and provide financial help to allow families to take day trips and vacations together. In addition to this they allocate a portion of the funds they raise each year to research at ALS TDI.
The A.L.S. Family Charitable Foundation hosts their big fundraiser, a cliff walk in Sagamore, MA, each year. The event is now in its 23rd year and focuses bringing ALS families together for a day all while raising funds to support all of their programs and ALS research. This year, the event takes place on September 8. To find out more, click here.