Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!
Preston and I are excited to participate in the 37th Annual The Ben to the Shore, which supports the Families Behind the Badge Children's Foundation! This will be Preston and my 10th year to ride! As a mom and a brother of a firefighter we are absolutely 100% behind FBBCF mission and have seen first hand the support they have been able to provide for families!
I have been blessed to work for FBBCF for almost a year now and have been able to meet many first responders. I have fortunately, but unfortunately, met families that have lost a family member that was a first responder. I have also been fortunate to meet partners or co-workers of fallen first responders. They have such sadness in their eyes as they talk about their family member or co-worker. With a son, who is a firefighter, I know that first responders consider each other as family. Losing a co-worker is like losing a member of their family. When I ask them how they are doing they ALL have the same answer. "Good as can be". How good is that? Not good enough in my mind. They witnessed something that others may never have to ever witness, and actually witness tragedy everyday but go back out there and protect us, people they don't even know!
How can society help first responders? The stigma is that First Responders are "strong" and "bad ass". They shouldn't get upset, just get back out there and keep doing what they do! But it is "Ok to not be Ok"! First Responders are strong and bad ass but they have feelings like we all do! We need to take care of them so they can take care of us! When compared to the general population, first responders are more at risk for mental illness.
Over the next few months Preston and I will be promoting mental health awareness for first responders and hoping to assist FBBCF find the support needed to help our heroes!
Please consider making a donation to our platform and help us with our mission!
The Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation (FBBCF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to improving the lives of children in the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey area. We achieve this by providing necessary financial relief for the families of fallen or critically injured first responders (police officers, firefighters, EMTs) and cultivating positive relationships and interactions between police officers and the children in the communities they serve.
