• BAF Helps Thrift Shop Entrepreneurs
• Introducing Two New Mentee Groups
• BAF Holds Not-For-Profit Workshop
• Updates On Our Current Mentees

Barbara Appelbaum
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THANK YOU TO OUR
GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
The Board of Directors of The Ben Appelbaum Foundation would like to thank the following donors through whose generous gifts we are able to honor Ben's memory by continuing to help others in his name. We consider this to be a fitting tribute to a wonderful man--doing good works in his name so that his memory and legacy will live on. We thank each and every one of you for making one of Ben's dreams become a reality.

BAF Helps Thrift Shop Entrepreneurs

Doug Todd

We are continuing to help Mentees Ruth and Larry Smith achieve their dream of owning a thrift shop.  While our contact Chuck Beyer is working on an appraisal of possible retail space in Dover, New Jersey, the Smiths are still in need of funding.

Rich Malizia is checking leads with the New Jersey Small Business Administration, and we are looking for someone to review the Smith's business pan.  We hope to find someone to help them write a grant or loan application, but we also need information on various finding sources that support women's or minority business ventures, urban growth and entrepreneurship concepts, small business financing, etc.  Please let us know if you are aware of any funding programs that might be of help.

                  
Mentees Larry and Ruth Smith.

Some of our Ben Appelbaum Foundation friends have already called to make donations of clothing and other items for the thrift shop.  Larry is looking for a van or small truck to use as they receive donations of furniture and other large items.  If you can help Ruth and Larry get started, it will be a wonderful way to fulfill the goals of the Foundation.  Call the BAF office at 516-883-0488, or Doug Todd at 732-563-1144.

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Introducing Two New Mentee Groups

Kate's Foundation
Renee Strack is a new mentee who has already accomplished a great deal with her foundation, named in memory of her sister, Kate, who died a little more than a year ago, at 33, of melanoma.  Their mission statement tells very clearly what they aim to accomplish.

"The Kate Verdon Spisak Foundation for Melanoma Awareness and Research, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to informing the public about the dangers of melanoma as well as providing financial support to the National Institute of Health's melanoma research program and the patients and families involved in that research."

They have raised enough money in their first year to pay the salary of a research fellow at NIH to study melanoma, set up an endowment fund, provide scholarships at Kate's alma maters where students compete by writing a 500-word essay on melanoma, give out imprinted tee shirts, towels and sunblock at the beach, and fund other awareness efforts.

With so much success, Renee is anxious to expand the foundation's efforts.  She feels they need a business plan and connections to become a national effort, which is why she has come to the Ben Appelbaum Foundation.  BAF mentor Hersh Cohen hopes to help Renee to reach her goal, with the help of Marion Mohl and our expanding mentor faculty.

The Beez Foundation
Susan and Joe Giardina suffered the loss of their 22-year old daughter Jennifer last year, and they have created the Beez Foundation to honor her memory--"Beez" was Jennifer's nickname.  The thrust of their work will be to raise money to fund seed grants for brain cancer research and to support the families who are accompanying their children during the long hospitalization that this disease entails.  Doctors from Sloan Kettering and New Jersey hospitals on their board of directors will help Susan and Joe determine how to support the appropriate research.

They attended the BAF not-for-profit workshop last fall and are beginning to put their plan into action.  Two major fundraising events are planned for this year with links to Rutgers in their home area and Penn State, Jennifer's alma mater.  BAF Board member Doug Todd will work with Jim and Diane Schwarz to help Susan and Joe further develop their foundation's business plan, fundraising efforts, and board development.

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BAF Holds Not-For-Profit Workshop

Doreen Berne

The Ben Appelbaum Foundation held a workshop in November for four of our mentee groups who are at various stages of development in their not-for-profit organizations.  The presentations covered common start-up issues, such as board development, writing a mission statement, focus on growth of the organization, marketing and fundraising strategies, legal aspects, and financial issues of 501(c)(3)’s. The mix of mentors and mentees created a synergy that stimulated communication and resulted in an exchange of ideas.

                   
BAF President Skip Vichness, with Mentors Rich Malizia, Jeff Ackerman, Liz Spiegel, Steve Holt.

Our team of experts included mentors Jeff Ackerman (board development), Liz Spiegel (fundraising), Steve Holt (legal), and Rich Malizia (financial).   Thanks to BAF Board member Doug Todd, the Tumi Luggage Corporation donated its Manhattan conference room for our meeting. As we continue to help these not-for-profit organizations, the information presented at this meeting will be a base from which to develop further assistance and be available to others who are just starting out.

                  
Mentees attending our Not-For-Profit Workshop represented The African-American Health Foundation, The COPE Foundation, Enrichment Audio Resource Services, and The Beez Foundation. Back row: Vinny Giardina, Judith Glasgal, Marcellus Walker, Joe Giardina, Tom McCarville. Front Row: Lillian Julien, Patty Greenberg, Susan Giardina, Gail Kurzhals.

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Updates On Our Current Mentees

Avi Benichou is busy with his salon, and will be working with Johanna Skier on a promotional opening party.

  Since refining the mission statement, Lillian Julien’s non-profit group, COPE (Connecting our Paths Eternally), is currently working on the wording and design of an updated brochure. They hope to launch the COPE line, an assistance and referral hotline for those who are grieving the untimely death of a loved one. Details of setting up the hotline have been worked out and training sessions will be conducted for members of the organization who will run the COPE line.  BAF Board members Fern Cohen and Jeff Ackerman are working with Amy Bobrow, Ph.D., one of the COPE leaders, along with a licensed psychologist to design and implement training for the volunteers.  They intend to begin operation very soon. This will be the centerpiece of the group’s efforts until other planned programs can be phased in.  It is hoped that ultimately they can have a center where they will be able to offer many healing therapies.

Many of you have seen Andrew Robinson's Patient2Patient website. He has hired a team of medical writers who have created a "disease model" sample on Parkinson's Disease for the website. It features evaluations of resources and links to various medical information services.  If you would like to participate in the feedback review of this initial model, contact the BAF office.  Andy has also developed strategic alliances with companies that will handle his site as a subscription service on a fee-per-usage basis.

Having received sufficient funding in November and December, Tom McCarville, Martha Parisian, and two very loyal volunteers are proceeding with their Enrichment Audio Resource Services program.  They schedule and give at least two or three presentations a week, primarily at senior centers and senior residences. The EARS telephone information center then does intake of the resulting new clients and follow-up on established clients, which currently totals 74.  Tape duplication and distribution is proceeding and fund raising activity is ongoing.  Martha and Tom are delighted with the success of their outreach efforts and continue to utilize the Ben Appelbaum Foundation’s mentoring resources for additional connections to funding organizations. They still need tape players and two updated computers.

Marcellus Walker is developing a medical practice in New York that reflects his model of integrated medicine, incorporating acupuncture and nutritional medicine.  This will be the foundation for his future plans.

Kyrnan Harvey plans to incorporate his garden design business in 2002.

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