Community Corner
Meet LI's Matthew Fetzer Foundation
They collect toys, donations and gift cards to distribute monthly to local children who are hospitalized with cancer and their families.
BAYVILLE, NY — Local charities are the unsung heroes of our communities. Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations strive to create lasting change and positively impact the lives of those around them.
Some people start organizations as a way to cope with grief, some see an issue they want to tackle, and some want to bring lasting change. Sometimes, all those reasons apply.
Patch wants to highlight your local charity and connect it with community members who want to help and do good, so that way, more people can benefit. Here is just one of many charities doing terrific work in your community.
What is your name?
Mary Tarasevich
What is the name of your charity?
The Matthew Fetzer Foundation
What is your position within your charity?
Fundraising
What community is your organization based in
Bayville/Locust Valley
Link to your website
MF7foundation@aol.com
What is your mission?
To raise awareness of childhood cancer, and the effect it has in the whole family
What does your charity do to further its mission? Please list examples.
We collect toys, monetary donations, gift cards all year to distribute monthly to local children hospitalized and their families.
We also host 5k runs in Bayville and Oyster Bay!
We always have a Bone Marrow Swabbing station for those who want to see if they can be a match and save a life!
What inspired you to start your charity?
My 10-year-old nephew lost his 7-year battle to leukemia in 2005, and it was his dream to help others once he was better.
How can people help you accomplish your organization's mission or get involved in events?
We accept donations of new, unused toys, monetary donations, gift cards all year. People tend to donate more during the holidays, but children are sick all year long, and we have never missed a month of delivering donations in the last 18 years!
Look for our annual 5k events held in Bayville and Oyster Bay!
Also, we host Bone Marrow Swabbing at our events to see if you can be a lifesaver!
What is the most memorable moment you've had since starting your organization?
Watching a very sick little girl get out of bed to come pick out the toys she wanted. The nurses and her parents told us she hadn’t been out of bed in weeks. She was so excited to be able to pick her own toys that she got up and walked over to the toy display we had set up. There wasn’t a dry eye to be seen!
What else would you like people to know about your charity?
We are a very small organization. It’s just my sister, brother-in-law, two nieces and me doing the work. My sister Ann works tirelessly on making Matthew’s dream come true.
What are your organization's social media pages or handles?
Find us on Facebook and Instagram @Matthew Fetzer Foundation
Do you help run a charity?
Nominate it here or share this link with someone who does.
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