Hii! Thanks for checking out the latest edition of WonderFold Cares. Today, we’re excited to share the amazing things we’ve been doing to make a positive impact on our community.
But before we begin—we just want to say—at WonderFold, we believe everyone should strive to create a better world. That’s why we’re dedicated to making a difference and helping the lives of families in need. 🙂
As we look back on the first few months of 2023, we’re proud to share some inspiring stories of how we’re doing just that! But before we get to our WonderFold fairy’s work, we’d like to tell you about our recent (and awesome) partnership with Jacy’s Wagons.
Jacy’s Wagons is a mission started by Jacy Raburn after she became a patient at St. Jude’s. While undergoing treatments, she noticed that many of the other kids in the hospital were too big for the wagons provided by St. Judes — and she wanted to change that. She wanted to help children have access to wagons that provided a safe and comfortable form of transportation both in the hospital and at home.
With this in mind, Jacy and her family started their non-profit organization and shipped their first wagon in November 2022. Since then, they’ve sent out over 31 wagons to families all over the United States — that’s right, not just to families staying at St. Judes, but also to those who travel to St. Jude for treatment. We love it!
Jennifer Raburn and her daughter, Jacy, approached us with a mission to donate as many WonderFold wagons as possible to the families of children receiving treatment at St. Jude Children Hospital. After Jacy gave a presentation on her cause to a local Kiwanis club, she received enough funding to purchase eight X2 Stroller Wagons.
We were so in love with Jennifer and Jacy’s mission and the impact it would have to those in need, that we decided to match the Kiwanis donation and gifted another eight wagons to the cause. We believe these strollers will make a real difference in the lives of these families, and we're proud to be a part of this amazing effort.
As Jennifer said:
“I think the picture of them in their wagons tells the story we want WonderFold families to see. The joy on their faces while dealing with pain, fear, and sickness in their lives.”
Jennifer, we couldn’t agree more, and we’re truly honored to support your efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these brave children. We hope our donation helps bring joy to the families at St. Jude and we look forward to continuing to support Jacy’s Wagon’s important mission in the future.
In fact, here are a few images showing the progress we’ve made so far:
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Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the inspiring stories of WonderFold Cares that motivate us to keep working towards a better world for all. As you’ll see, we’ve had the privilege of helping several organizations and families this year! Let’s take a look!
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Illinois
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is a non-profit organization that funds research and supports people with blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease.
Each year, high school and college students nationwide compete to raise funds for the LLS over a seven-week initiative, culminating in a Grand Finale Celebration to laud the participants’ achievements and announce the winner.
We chose to support the efforts of these wonderful competitors by donating a W1 Stroller Wagon to the silent auction held before the celebration. Our contribution helped support the cause and showcased the versatility of our stroller wagons.
It thrilled us to see the excitement generated by the auction and the impact our donation had on the event’s success. We remain committed to supporting the work of LLS and to making a positive difference in the lives of families affected by blood cancers.
Chester Co-op Preschool
Rebecca Bennett nominated the Chester Co-op Preschool to receive one of our stroller wagons after witnessing how it positively changed her family’s life.
“Many of them would benefit from owning your product. My son has Down Syndrome, and we use our WonderFold wagon almost daily!”
This unique non-profit preschool dedicates itself to providing high-quality early childhood education and care for kids aged 2 to 5 years old.
We also thought the X2 wagon would be the perfect addition to the school. Its five-point harness system will ensure the safety of the students, while its spacious interior is ideal for transporting groups of little ones around the campus or on field trips.
The X2’s one-step folding system also makes it easy to store between uses, a particularly important feature in a school setting.
We hope the staff, children, and Chester Co-op are enjoying their wagon and look forward to hearing how it helps enhance their school experience!
The El Paso Rhinos’ Ice Gala
The El Paso Rhinos hockey team held their first-ever Rhino Ice Gala this year, raising funds to ensure all children in the city can experience the thrill of playing hockey.
Along with providing the finances for kids from all economic situations to learn valuable life lessons through skating, half the proceeds from the auction benefited Make-A-Wish North Texas.
Our WonderFold fairy donated an X2 stroller wagon to the event, and we’re proud that our gift will benefit the Rhinos’ skate program and the rewarding work of the foundation. We’re honored to have the opportunity to contribute to such worthwhile organizations.
Calusa Elementary School’s 12th Annual Bids for Kids
Each year, Calusa Elementary in Boca Raton, Florida, holds an auction to support academics and enhance its technology programs. All proceeds go directly to the school, helping to bridge the gap left by the state’s decreasing education budget.
We wanted to make a difference in the lives of these students and the faculty, so we donated a W1 stroller wagon to their March 7th event. This model is a versatile, practical tool for families with young children, and we hope it makes a valuable addition to the winning bidder’s household.
Auction for Aspen
Chad and Julie Anthony turned a tragedy into a mission to help others in memory of their granddaughter, Aspen. After losing the little girl unexpectedly, the couple decided to honor her brief life on earth by supporting the efforts of Imani Milele Children in Uganda.
This incredible organization rescues, educates, and improves the lives of the country’s orphaned and most vulnerable children, with approximately 5,000 kids educated and housed across several campuses.
The Anthonys sponsored several children at the Troas school and saw first-hand how the center desperately needed additional facilities. Putting their plans into action in 2018, they successfully raised enough funds to build seven new classrooms, a girls and boys’ bathroom, and on-campus housing for four teachers and their families.
Not stopping there, the power pair also opened an on-campus children’s home, which now accommodates more than 50 girls.
They have big plans for Imana Milele Children’s future. They’re gathering resources to build a second children’s home for 100 boys, a new borehole, and additional housing for staff and teachers.
Auction for Aspen events occur several times throughout the year, and all the funds raised through these initiatives go towards aiding the center.
We played our part in honoring Aspen while changing the lives of children and donated an X4 Stroller Wagon to their recent auction. Good luck reaching your goal, Chad and Julie; we hope our contribution helps you meet all the needs at the Troas campus.
JS Aucoin Elementary School
Students at JS Aucoin Elementary contacted us to get some help for two special needs students. These kiddos need help while being transported around school, as they both have eloping tendencies, but a shabby, broken wagon was being used.
We believe in ensuring all children have access to safe and reliable transportation, especially those living with special needs. That’s why we were thrilled to donate a W4 Elite Stroller Wagon to the school, providing safer, more reliable student mobility.
We designed the W4 Elite with safety in mind and functionality in mind, making it the perfect solution for children who require extra care and attention during transportation.
We hope our contribution makes a positive difference in the lives of these students and are proud to support JS Aucoin Elementary in their efforts to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for all of their children.
Blake Voros
Blake Voros’ family has their hands full. The five-year-old boy was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis almost a year ago, and his parents have to travel two hours away every three months for scopes at the hospital.
These procedures aren’t easy, as Blake is put under anesthesia and unable to walk for several hours after. If this wasn’t enough to deal with, the little family is also growing! Blake and his older sibling look forward to welcoming a new baby this April.
We want to help make their lives less stressful, so we gave Blake and his family a W4 Elite stroller wagon.
#Stevesheartjourney
Once in a while, life throws us a curveball that we don’t see coming. In Morgan’s case, she never expected that one of her twins would be born with only half his heart. Turning two years old in April, Steve is living with end-stage heart failure until a viable transplant is found for him.
However, this little boy isn’t waiting for his life to start. Recently released from the hospital to spend some time at home for the first time in his short life, Steve is ready to explore the world with his twin and older sister.
We gifted this special family a W4 Elite stroller wagon to help them grow and adventure together. We hope it provides a safe and comfortable way for Steve to discover the world around him with his sisters, and we’re honored to play a small part in their journey.
The Curtis Family
At just 15 months old, Natalie’s son has already faced several challenges. Initially appearing normal at birth, it wasn’t until three months later his parents noticed he wasn’t reaching his milestones.
After genetic testing, doctors discovered three mutations. While he shows signs similar to cerebral palsy, tests have returned negative.
Despite these difficulties, he loves to sit and explore the world around him with his sister. We gifted this family a W2 Elite Wagon to help them make their baby’s life as normal as possible and bring them some joy on their adventures together.
Zoe Leanne Gravelen
Finally, we’re honored to share Zoe’s story. This little girl has shown incredible strength and resilience despite her genetic disorder, bi-coronal craniosynostosis, and the challenges that come with it.
After undergoing life-changing cranial surgery at just 17 months old, Zoe was diagnosed with sleep apnea and given a MIC-KEY button feeding tube. Although this device has been a blessing, it tethers Zoe to a feeding pole for four hours a day.
As a curious two-year-old, Zoe has adapted remarkably well, but her mother constantly fears she’ll pull her tube out. We were humbled to give Zoe and her family a W4 Elite stroller wagon, providing a safe and comfortable way for her to discover her surroundings.
We hope it brings a smile to Zoe’s face and helps her continue to thrive.
WonderFold Cares: Helping Families in Need
Thank you for taking the time to read these inspiring stories in this quarter’s edition of WonderFold Cares.
If you happen to know of a family who could benefit from one of our wagons, we encourage you to fill out our WonderFold Cares form and let us know how to assist them.
Together, let’s continue to spread joy and bring hope to those who need it the most.
To see you guys out, here are just a couple more images from the St Jude’s program we mentioned at the start! 🙂
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Check out some of our other stories too!
2 comments
My son and daughter-in-law recently had a terrible accident where their trailer slid off the road in Wyoming during a hail storm and flipped. Everything was destroyed. I had bought them the 2 seater Wonderware last year. That was destroyed also. I’m trying to replace some things for them and would like to ask if it would be possible to ask for help from your company. They had been living in the trailer because his work, he was traveling to Arizona where family is and have a new start. If you could do anything, even a discount on a wagon it would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jeanette Hommerding
This is great, but Im disappointed as I had never heard back after filling out a cares form. My son has cancer with his original tumor in his calf so we are battling mobility issues and I had to end up purchasing one with the warrior discount. Congrats to everyone who has received one! <3