Who We Are Grateful For
As the year comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible individuals and organizations who have made a difference at Jack’s Caregiver Coalition. From sharing stories that inspire, to providing unwavering support behind the scenes, these contributions fuel our mission and create a community where caregivers feel seen, supported, and valued. This list is our humble attempt to acknowledge the compassion, dedication, and generosity that surrounds us every day.
Thank you to:
- Tom Albers and Mark Rosen for sharing their caregiving stories at the Big GIVE, with Mark also offering a glimpse into the darkness he endured and how a kitten helped him through.
- Katrina Post of On Point Parties & Events for ensuring the smooth execution of the Big GIVE and CaregiverCON 2024 back-to-back and for delivering on her promise to make us feel like guests at our own event..
- Haley Kline for her quiet, humble enthusiasm and for keeping our financial records in perfect order.
- Kyle Woody for creating a positive and exemplary office culture.
- Jeff Myhre for his compassion for caregivers and staff and his uncanny ability to uplift us during challenging moments.
- Maxine Smith for elevating our marketing through consistent and effective social media posts and bringing a calming presence during chaotic times.
- Mike McGarry for his infectious enthusiasm and unwavering support.
- Mike Dykema for sharing his earthy, sage advice during Sequel Maker Klatches, for volunteering his time and energy to multiple events and for his contributions to The Big GIVE and CaregiverCON.
- Eric Schlueter for his enthusiasm and dedication to Jack's mission in ways such as sharing his story as a Jack's Ambassador at the Brighter Days Grief Conference, the State Fair, and helping with The Big GIVE and CaregiverCON.
- Allison Breininger of the Negative Space, for creating incredible programming for CaregiverCONx and CaregiverCON and for her unmatched ability to hold space for good things to happen.
- Chris Evans and the Colon Cancer Coalition for becoming the presenting sponsor of CaregiverCON 2024.
- Masonic Cancer Center for sponsoring CaregiverCONx on June 1, 2024.
- Our Donors for their dedication and generosity.
- Chef Jeff for his delicious culinary contributions to The Big GIVE and CaregiverCON 2024.
- Erin Parrish of AARP Minnesota for sponsoring our Caregiver Klatches and CaregiverCON.
- The Wilderness Fitness and Coworking for having a great space for us to work our first year of having a real office space.
- Omega Lithograph for printing high quality mailings and getting them to our members and supporters on our behalf.
- Diane Woody for her steadfast accounting support.
- Heather Erickson for her unwavering dedication to a challenging role, bringing her best every day.
- Rich Anderson for teaching us to focus on what truly matters.
- Jean Accius for stepping into the role of board chair with a willingness to challenge us.
- Susan Kerber for introducing us to a caregiver who needed our support.
- Rob Smith for his courage to ask, “What about a Caregiver Conference?” sparking a transformative event, and for reminding us that there is beauty in every mess and encouraging us to keep moving our feet.
- Audrey Harrison for her enthusiastic dive into The Big GIVE and showing us how understanding enneagram types can strengthen our team.
- Paurvi Bhatt for inviting Kyle to experience Diwali and trusting us to care for Omi while she spoke to caregivers at CaregiverCON.
- Fred Sklenar for his tenacity in building the Storm Chaser mobile support unit, despite challenges, (including the evening we spent the majority of our time dismantling it).
- Mauricio Montes de Oca for encouraging us to better support Spanish-speaking caregivers.
- Penelope Tower for her advocacy and heartfelt reaction to our grant proposal.
- Priscilla Momah for her powerful reminders of our worthiness through her Somatic Serenade at CaregiverCON.
- Ann Johnson for her attentive care to Kyle at CaregiverCON, ensuring he stayed nourished even when he tried to hide his exhaustion.
- Roger Miller for his compassion and wisdom as a Sequel Maker Klatch leader.
- Jane Menning for her thoughtful, humble, and optimistic Klatch leadership and for helping make our Auction at The Big Give a success.
- Dan Cramer for simply being himself—an irreplaceable presence in our community.
- Kathy Bucher for her endless stream of ideas, support, resources—and the cookies she always brings.
- Jack's Coaches for taking on one of the toughest and most meaningful volunteer roles imaginable.
- Our Caregivers and Sequel Makers for trusting us to share in their stories, which inspire and shape our work.
Shaping Jack's Caregiver Coalition
While we’ve tried to capture everyone who made a meaningful impact this year, we know there are names we’ll remember the moment we hit publish. To those not listed here, please know your contributions are no less appreciated. Whether you gave your time, talent, or treasure, you have helped shape Jack’s Caregiver Coalition into a place of hope, connection, and support for caregivers everywhere. Thank you for being part of our journey—together, we are making a difference.