I would like to personally wish our entire CHARGE community a happy and healthy New Year! 2025 was a banner year! Everyone knows we had a great conference, but did you know that the the Emma Bluestone Scholarship, the Claire Marie Springer Scholarship, and CHARGE for Connor supported 84 individuals with scholarships to cover registration fees and 54 families with scholarships to cover hotel fees? The Foundation also paid the registration fees for 229 individuals with CHARGE.
Not only did we support families at conference, but we also awarded close to $30,000 to over 50 families for medical travel assistance; we awarded 6 college scholarships through our Crocker Barker Sibling Scholarship fund, totaling $15,000; we funded 3 scientific research projects totaling $100,000; and we provided over $40,000 worth of adaptive bikes, recreational equipment, classes and camps through the generosity of EWRAP, the Ethan Wolfe Recreational Assistance Program. We couldn‘t do all of this without the financial support of our families and friends so I would like to thank all of you that donated to support these and other wonderful programs.
On a personal note, I am completing my Presidency and my term on the board at the end of February 2026. I have seen this Foundation grow immeasurably since joining the board in 1997, but as they say, all good things must come to an end. I would like to thank all the people that I have served with on the board since my term began almost 29 years ago. There are way too many people to list here, but I learned so much from all of you and I will miss the times we spent together. The good news is that I will still be active as an advisor to the Foundation. My email address, [email protected], will remain the same and I look forward to seeing all of you in Dallas in the summer of 2027.
Here’s to a great 2026 and beyond!
With gratitude and best wishes to all,
Neal Stanger
