2012 Year End Edition

Reaching Across the Nation

EKF is becoming exactly what you have supported us to become - a national assistance program. Thank you for another fantastic year! We are helping larger numbers of families across the country. Our families are now able to network with one another through our online forum. In order to serve these families more personally, we are pursuing new relationships with church partners in the cities where our families are being served. These partnerships will allow us to train new care volunteers to serve families in a more relevant and personal way. We have experienced outstanding growth of strength as our team has added new talent in many areas. Through annual events like the Quad Cities Marathon, our families and teams have experienced inspiration and unity in deeper ways. We continue to meet families that challenge us with their perspective, who have become, or will become, guides to others on a similar crisis journey. In August, BICISI Cares, the charitable arm of an international technology association, awarded us with their largest gift to date! Even so, we exist through sustainers like you. Your generosity has directly impacted families suffering through a heart crisis, or enduring grief since losing their little one. I humbly recognize that all of these blessings are possible through your loyal and valued support. Please consider EKF as you plan your giving this year. In appreciation, Mary Hopkins Executive Director, Erika Kate Foundation

EKF Impact & Growth

Recipient Families by Location

West 17.33% Central 56% East 26.67%

In 2012, EKF is on pace to:

Help

170 Families through Financial Grants Award Over $150,000 in Grants Grow 40% over 2011

2012 Heart Centers

Atlanta, GA - Children's Health Care of Atlanta Augusta, GA - Medical College Georgia Health System Children's Hospital Austin, TX - Dell Children's Medical Center Boston, MD - Children's Hospital Boston Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Children's Hospital - MC Heart Center Columbus, OH - Nationwide Children's Hospital Dallas, TX - Children's Medical Center Dallas Detroit, MI - Children's Hospital of Michigan Gainesville, FL - Shands Children's Hospital - UF Houston, TX - Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital Iowa City, IA - University of Iowa Children's Hospital Kansas City, MO - Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics Los Angeles, CA - Children's Hospital LA Milwaukee, WI -Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Minneapolis, MN - Amplatz Children's Hospital Nashville, TN - Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt New Orleans - Children's Hospital New Orleans New York, NY - Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NY Presbyterian Palo Alto, CA - Lucile Packard Children's Hospital - Stanford Philadelphia, PA - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Pittsburgh, PA - Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh UPMC Rochester, NY - Golisano Children's Hospital San Francisco, CA - California Pacific Medical Center Sutter Health Seattle, WA - Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center St. Louis, MO - St. Louis Children's Hospital Washington, DC - Children's National Medical Center DC Wauwatosa, WI - American Family's Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Family Story: The Whatley Family

contributed by Kendall Emmert

A family of four drove 100 miles to admit their six month old son, Nathan Whatley, into the hospital for his first heart surgery. Upon arriving, their doctor refused to operate and told his parents to take him home to die. Nathan was in a coma. His parents, Marcus and Amanda, decided to dedicate his little life to God. The following day, Nathan awoke, and a surgeon at the Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, Dr. Vaughn Starnes, decided to take his case with a 50% chance for survival. Two months later, he was discharged. But when Marcus and Amanda arrived home, they discovered that their house had been robbed! They were forced to move in with another family with their fragile son and three year old daughter, Stephanie. Over the next several months and after moving into a new home, Nathan fell to pneumonia. For five weeks, he was put back into a coma and placed on a ventilator due to pulmonary hypertension that had worsened. Nathan was transferred to Kaiser Hospital in LA, 100 miles from home, where they waited for Nathans open-heart surgery. Twelve weeks post operation, the Whatley family is home again. Only time will tell the rest of Nathans story, but for now, his mom must work 50 miles from home, while his father, who must remain at home because of a disability, takes care of the children. This is the hardest thing we have ever been through. Knowing and having faith in God is the only thing that got us through all of this. EKF was able to help our family with food and gas during our hard times. Thank God!

What Were Reading

EKF Leadership Team EKF Team Bible Study Pulse Picks: Mary Hopkins Carrie Zorrich Deb Iliff Davida Symonds Traci Maynard Annie Thomas

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni Women Who Believed God by Winnie Christensen Shattered Dreams (Gods Unexpected Pathway to Joy) by Larry Crabb Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge The Beginners Guide to Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets Hope for Hurting Hearts by Greg Laurie Dont Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart by Dr. Kenneth C. Haugk The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

St. Louis Childrens Visit

How Do We Define Care

Left to Right: Kristin, Traci, Mary, Deb, Vicki, Carrie

EKF Team Visiting the garden at St. Louis Childrens Hospital that has been a source of peace to some of our families.

Ann Meminger & Traci Maynard at quarterly Care Team meeting.

The Erika Kate Foundation Care Ministry aspires to tenderly support applicant families through a culmination of written messages of hope, spoken words of support, tangible bundles of care, and through care team members open ears and willing hearts to step into their pain. The Lord is guiding our interactions and we wish to convey His presence in their journey. contributed by Kristin Hazelett, Care Coordinator

My heartfelt thanks for this assistance for this deserving family. Your organization is incredible. Thank you.
- Carolyn Buckley, MSW

Quad Cities Marathon: More than a Race

contributed by Traci Maynard
What many do not realize is that this race is an emotional and spiritual challenge, as well as physical. We not only train our bodies, but we carry with us the unique challenges of grief. Running this race is therapeutic on many, many levels. For four years, EKF has joined the Quad Cities Marathon. Even though I am thankful for this event, there has always been a missing element. The experience has left me longing for more: more lives touched, more of Gods love given, more of those suffering to join us. This year, however, the beginning of a movement began and I hope it will continue to blossom and grow. In the beautiful September early morning before race, over 150 supporters walked to the grassy area near the starting line to form a huge circle around the families who had lost a child. I was deeply moved. The circle was a physical display of the financial, emotional, and spiritual support that our EKF families have been receiving. These families had traveled from Des Moines, IA, Elgin, IL, Monroe City, MO, and Monroe, NJ. When we encircled them, we prayed for them, and then watched as each family released a balloon representing the child they had lost. We silently watched as they floated towards heaven, the place where Jesus is caring for them better than any of us here on earth are able. Sharing this experience with those who are suffering made this years race feel complete. I am humbled and honored at the possibility of sharing this event with many more families within the EKF caring community.
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Quad Cities Marathon By The Numbers

Raised: $24,765 Portion Raised by Mercer County Schools Participants: $7000! Registrants: 118 Title for Group O Corporate Challenge Largest Non-Profit Volunteers, Staff & Board: 35 Percentage of fun: 100% EKF families surrounded by love at event: 8

2012 Footsteps for Families Sponsors

Riverbend Anesthesia, P.C. A&E Convenience Champs Chicken John Waugh Country Financial Muscatine Medical Center Newton Running Performance Food Services Doran & Ward Printing & Packaging Co. Ford & Maynard Agency KJWW Engineering Consultants Nehlsen Communications Meminger Metal Finishing

$1000 Level $500 Level

$250 Level

1. Families releasing 2. 3. 4. 5.

6.

balloons for little ones lost in 2012 EKF Team & Families Nessa & Maegan Gorham The St. Clair Family Jamie Hopkins & Addison Hopkins

BICSI Cares Contribution

They handed me a check for $19,996! We had no idea the generosity we would receive completely unsolicited, shared Mary Hopkins, Executive Director, after attending the 2012 Fall BICSI conference in Anaheim, CA. The charitable arm of BICSI, a professional association supporting the Information Technology industry, has been donating to various nonprofits for over two decades. I received an inquiry telling us we were under evaluation to be the benefactor of the conference and later notified that we were selected and asked to attend the award ceremony. The BICSI Cares people were incredibly warm and personable. They were volunteers doing this work with great passion. The team members were from all over, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, Illinois, Northern California and Canada. They repeatedly thanked me for the work we do.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID OP Printing

PO Box 262 Muscatine, IA 52761 erikakate.org

Introducing Prayer Coordinator: Debbie Iliff

Family: Husband Frank of 36 years, 2 daughters and 7 grandchildren. How did you come to your role as Prayer Director for EKF? Mary asked me if I would join the team late in 2011. While considering, I began to attend Wednesday morning meetings with some members of the EKF Team. I was surprised to find a team and a group of women I grew to love. EKF opened a gate into the lives of others and their pain. Then came our visit to St. Louis Childrens Hospital. I was un-done. I went there strictly as an observer, not a participant. Saying I am not a participant is no longer possible. What are some of the ways your position will support the EKF team, families and supporters? My role as Prayer Director is only now beginning to take shape. Determine what level of intercession is needed in each case Build a team with a heart for prayer. Create an atmosphere of safety -a place where it will be ok to share, or not to share for that matter. Appropriately train intercessors who can pray with grace and compassion over the truly wounded and exhausted. Train intercessors in several types of prayer Appropriately cover in prayer each arm of EKF Expansion is ALWAYS Gods plan. His wish is to see His people multiply themselves. The enemy is a divider, God is a Multiplier! How do you like to spend your free time outside of work? I love to study Gods word, spend time with my family, and paint. I am an avid reader, especially concerning prayer, leadership, and understanding what God thinks about me. I am also a blogger, and love to spend time writing. I love travelling with my husband, and Zumba.

HOPE Planned Contributions Pave the Way

Beginning in January 2013, EKF will ask you to become a HOPE planned contributor. Your monthly investment or planned multi-year commitment allows for more efficient allocation of resources and long term planning. Help provide HOPE to more families by spreading the impact of your dollars throughout the years. Look for more detailed information in your mailboxes and online next year.