Kat Manzella bought the first 200 bracelets sold, all the money went to K4K, then with that money we bought 5000, and ALL of it will go to Kate. Everyone working on this project is donating time or materials. Unfortunately, paypal does take their percent to process all the donations, but that's the price for reaching so many people.
- What makes the Thornton family so special?
Everything... we know that there are many families in more difficult
circumstances, but this happens to be the family that WE know and the
one that God put in our hearts to help. Kate meant a lot to many
people. Including the Red Cross. She was the youngest volunteer in the
nation. At age 3, she held the record for the most units of blood
donated in one blood drive.
- What now after Kate died?
Kat
Manzella, Kate's Godmother, made a promise to Kate... and we simply
believe in keeping our promises. The gift of this house in not just for
Kate, but also for her family. We believe that sharing this new
beginning, this new home with Kate would be reassuring to the family,
that she was indeed a part of this experience by living there with them
for whatever time she had left. Our ultimate answer to prayer would be
for Kate's total physical healing, but that was not God's will and
purpose for her. The family will keep this home, as it is a gift to all
of them.
- Why did they need an entire home, couldn't they just build on?
We
considered this option originally; however after much discussion with
city planners, zone inspectors, architects, etc. everyone agreed that
the home would become structurally unsound with some of the necessary
interior renovations and the lot was too small for allowing additional
rooms to be added onto the current home. We also considered leasing
and/or purchasing a home in need of repair for a less expensive cost
and relying on volunteer support to prepare the home for occupancy.
Sadly, Kate's sudden and devastating prognosis placed urgency on the
need to be "under one roof" and it became a priority to purchase a home
in order for the family to move in immediately.
- What happened to Kisses4Kate after the Thornton family home was gifted?
Kisses4Kate
has many fundraisers planned. The remainder of
the loan will be taken over by the Thorntons when their original home is sold. We hope the
community will continue to support our efforts to keep Kisses4Kate a
viable non-profit. We have a lot of work to be done. This is a
horrible disease and the awareness Kate has brought this community
needs to be the driver to help us make a difference in the lives of
those who have childhood cancer.
- What is the future for Kisses4Kate?
This
project has not only brought an increased awareness to the community,
but has exposed us to the real need for help. We already assisted one other family and know of
other families with children with cancer who are in need. Our hope is
to reunite and offer support to families who are separated by hardships
brought on by lengthy treatments and hospitalizations. We also hope to
assist in making their homes more accessible to the needs of these
children.
