2024 Impact Report
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Abby’s Legacy Foundation 2024 Impact Report
Abby’s Legacy Foundation: Reflections on Our First Year
As we reflect on the first full year of Abby’s Legacy Foundation, our hearts swell with gratitude, pride, and a deep sense of purpose. Abby’s spirit of giving, love, and joy permeates everything we do. She would be proud of the strides we’ve made in supporting childhood cancer patients and families. Abby always had an incredible empathy for others facing struggles, particularly those battling childhood cancer, and a zest for life that pushed her to embrace every moment. It is this dual commitment to compassion and joy that continues to guide our mission.
In this first year, we have been able to make a tangible impact for families affected by childhood cancer. We know the burden of a cancer diagnosis stretches beyond the child – it affects parents, siblings, and entire families. The financial strain of long hospital stays, travel for treatment, and missed work often makes it impossible for families to meet basic needs. With the help of your support, we have worked to ease this burden and provide vital assistance where it’s needed most.
Through collaborations with local hospitals and other organizations, we’ve been able to assist families with rent, utilities, insurance payments, car repairs, travel expenses for treatments, and much more. Our efforts, supported by the incredible generosity of donors like you, ensure that families facing the unimaginable can focus on their child’s recovery without the added stress of financial instability.
We are deeply thankful for your donations, your support, your volunteering and the love you have shown us and these families. You are the driving force behind all that we accomplish. Your generosity allows us to continue our mission of funding critical research, supporting care, and spreading love & hope to families impacted by childhood cancer. Together, we are making a difference – a difference that Abby would have been so proud to witness.
Year in Review
Organizational Gifting & Community Support - $27,888
Your donations provided support for various childhood cancer organizations and events, including large group dinners, camp experiences, and additional sponsorships to make events extra special.
· CHKD: $500 – Love Run Sponsor – A local high school event that raises money for Children’s Hospital for the Kings Daughters in Norfolk and allows high schoolers volunteering opportunities to be a part of giving to others
· St. Baldrick’s Foundation: $500
· $7,000 donated to St. Baldrick’s Foundation and $7,000 for EDMARC Pediatric Home Health & Hospice through the Abby Furco Memorial Color Run event.
· Fed 40 families in support of Our Amazing Fighters Overnight Experience - $5,000
· Supported Special Love BRASS (BRothers And SiSters) Camp through direct donations for “bonus” camp activities - Kona Ice Truck, Ice Cream Truck, water park trip with lunch, inflatables, 6 tents for camping - $3,950
· Supported D-Feet Cancer and Hooked on Hope through sponsorships - $750
· Provided organizational support for Wrapped in Strength to further their mission - $1,000
· Abby’s 18th Birthday Wish - $800 of donations you made to purchase a PS5, fix the pool table, a treatment wagon & toys, plus more toys/items bought directly from donors, all delivered to the military hospital
· Donated over 50 toys to the CHKD Transport Team Toy Drive and 11 large toys to the Meg Gives Back Toy Drive supporting hospitals in DC and Northern VA - $412
· Naval Medical Portsmouth Peds Onc Christmas Party: Provided food for 90 patients and family guests, including Chick-fil-A, mac & cheese, cookies, hot cocoa, and more - $976
Individual Family Support: $20,976
Rent & Housing Assistance: Supported 4 families with rent and mortgages.
General Bills: Assisted with general household bills for 1 family.
Travel for Treatment: Supported 1 family with travel expenses for treatment.
End-of-Life (EOL) Comfort Items: Provided comfort items for 2 families.
EOL Experience: Provided hotel accommodations for 1 family to have a memorable experience during a difficult time.
Utilities & Insurance: Supported 3 families with utilities and insurance payments.
Car Support: Helped with car insurance, loans, and repairs for 3 families.
Holiday Hope: Delivered $3,500 in Amazon gift cards to 7 families at CHKD and Portsmouth Naval to ease holiday gifting stress.
2024 Events & Community Engagement
Love Run Sponsor: Supported local high school students raising funds for local children’s hospital (CHKD) and making a change.
Spread the Love Campaign: ALF fundraiser to share Abby’s hope and love
PAMS St. Baldrick’s: Supported students crafting their event and raising funds for childhood cancer. In 2025, the 6th year our family has hosted this event, we are hitting the mark of $100,000 raised by the school!!
Abby’s 18th Birthday Wish: Collected items and funds to purchase items needed for military children in the hospital or clinic, including toys, supplies, and a PlayStation 5. The entire wish list was purchased!
2024 Abby Furco Memorial Color Run: What an incredible event and celebration of Abby and life! Founded by Abby’s friends in 2022 & run by students, the 2024 event was a great success! Even with the class of 2024 off to college, they were a big part. We also added new student leadership team members and hosted over 300 participants, 120 volunteers (over 70 students), and raised $5,000 in local business sponsorships covering all event costs, which allowed every penny collected to be donated. We raised $14,000 that was split between EDMARC Pediatric Home Health & Hospice and St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Holiday Hope: Knowing that the holidays can be a strain financially, we worked with local social workers to identify 7 families that could use some extra support. Your donations provided $100 Amazon gift cards for each member of the childhood cancer family for 7 local families!
How You Can Make a Difference
We couldn’t achieve any of this without your support—thank you! Thank you donors and thank you volunteers!!
There are many ways to contribute and support childhood cancer patients and families through Abby’s Legacy Foundation. Visit our website at www.abbyslegacyfoundation.org to learn about our upcoming events and to make a donation. Volunteer needs will be listed there as well.
Interested in joining our monthly giving program, the Campfire Circle? Simply visit www.abbyslegacyfoundation.org/giving/#campfirecircle
Follow us on Instagram at @abbyslegacyfoundation, and stay tuned for our new public Facebook page coming soon! We are currently on Facebook as a private group under "Abby’s Legacy Foundation."
Watch our website for upcoming events - especially the PAMS St. Baldrick's Event March 21st and Shaving for Heroes April 26th!
Looking Ahead
As we enter our second year, our commitment to Abby’s vision remains stronger than ever. With your continued support, we will further our impact, bringing hope, relief, and love to more families in need. Thank you for helping us honor Abby’s legacy – together, we are changing lives.
With love and Abby forever in our hearts,
Patty & Joe Furco
and the Abby’s Legacy Foundation team
