At Beacon Mutual, our commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond the workplace. We believe in the power of giving back and supporting those in our community who need it most. This year, we had the privilege of combining our resources and compassion to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children through our partnership with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Beacon Mutual is proud to announce a $12,000 donation from The Beacon Foundation to Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, furthering our commitment to supporting local communities. This contribution will help fulfill the wishes of children facing critical illnesses, bringing hope and joy to those who need it most.
Our dedication didn’t stop with the financial contribution.
During the AASCIF 2024 conference, hosted by Beacon this year, our employees and conference participants eagerly joined forces to create 26 personalized backpacks for Make-A-Wish kids. Each backpack was thoughtfully laid out on a table with a nametag and a personalized list of items based on the child's wish list, ranging from Disney trips to Taylor Swift concerts. Volunteers then “shopped” for these items and wrote heartfelt postcards wishing the children fabulous trips.
“The whole team was so engaged and excited to work on these backpacks,” said Donna Normand, Claims Director at Beacon Mutual. “The energy in the room was palpable as volunteers came in to assemble them. It was a great and heartwarming project!”
Valerie Gelsomino, Budget & Operations Specialist, shared her thoughts on the experience: “Personalizing the 26 backpacks, knowing they would go to children before they set off on their wish, was incredibly rewarding. Hearing the story of Jeremiah Cooper made it even more meaningful. The fact that Beacon is helping to make these wishes come true makes me proud to work here.”
“My son Jeremiah was diagnosed with a birth defect called a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia or CDH. Jeremiah had a 20% chance of survival in the first year, and his physicians believed he would likely grow up deaf, and possibly mute. I firmly believe, and studies now prove that the wish experience brings about positive outlook and health changes to critically ill children, like my son. We saw immediate changes in Jeremiah’s health after returning from his wish to visit Sesame Street Place in Pennsylvania, and those changes transformed our family’s outlook forever. Jeremiah is a healthy sixteen-year-old today. He is able to speak, and hear, and do most of the physical activities that any other sixteen-year-old would do. He is looking forward to a life of service as a police, fire, or emergency response worker as he prepares for his future career. He works alongside me to help pay his wish forward every year, for the last six years.
On behalf of Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, my son Jeremiah and I want to express our sincerest gratitude to the Beacon team for helping us grant via Beacon’s generous donation, one more wish to a critically ill child in Rhode Island. Also, thank you on behalf of the wish recipient's parents and children. Your efforts in building the twenty-six Wish-Recipient send-off back packs will create a life-changing wish experience that a critically ill child can look forward to, which also can bring strength, and hope into their lives. This creates a transformational opportunity for them and their families to be able to endure the challenging health journey in progress and ahead.”
This heartwarming initiative not only supported the important work of Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island but also made a tangible difference in the lives of children and their families. It’s moments like these that make us proud to be part of the Beacon community.
Beacon Mutual remains dedicated to giving back and making a positive impact in Rhode Island and beyond.
For more information about Beacon Mutual and our initiatives, visit beaconmutual.com.