Anything Is Possible
We are throwing a party for you! Sunfest could not happen without your support so we’d like you to join us on Saturday May 9th for a thank you party.
When: Saturday May 9th form 3- 8pm
Where: The Farms Market Place 16891 Jupiter Farms Road Jupiter, FL 33478
Food & Drinks provided.
Live Music from 5-8pm
Thanks again and we look forward so seeing you there!
Thank you for volunteering here are the details you will need to check in and find our location. Should you have any questions contact Matt Hudson 561.319.247 or Melissa Hudson 561.319.7700.
We look forward to seeing you at Sunfest 2015!
Unfortunately parking is not provided for non-profit volunteers.
You will have two options for parking:
1- Find a spot on the street and pay the meter. Depending on your shift you may have to pay the meter twice, so keep and eye on that.
2- Pay to park in a parkting deck. The parkting decks close to Sunfest will charge $20. The cheaper alternative is to park in the City Place deck and walk 4-5 blocks to the enterance on Evernia & Flagler. (See map below)
Please allow time for parking and walk time.
Coming From I-95
Once you are checked in follow Flagler Drive north to the main Ford stage where we will have one beer cart on the street and one cart at the sound board.
Below are the two maps for reference:
Hope From Harrison is a non-profit organization and our mission is “To provide resources, awareness and hope to children with critical needs”.
We are excited to have partnered with Sunfest for the 5th year to help local families who are facing the challenges of raising a child with critical needs.
Love for Lincoln- to read Lincoln’s story click here or visit his Facebook Page
Kaden’s Cure- to read Kaden’s story click here or visit his Facebook Page
For more information about Hope From Harrison, our mission and upcoming events we invite you to watch this video & sign up for our mailing list.
From everyone at Hope From Harrison we say: Lots of Love to You!
Hello All!!
Well, thanks to all the loving support of Hope Fest 2014 we are already booked for Hope Fest 2015!!! Thank you so much for the amazing out pouring of love last year. It absolutely has us motivated to do it all again this year and do it bigger and better!! We thank you all for that!
We hope everyone that donated at tshirt level has been receiving their Hope Fest shirts. Do you love them as much as we do!?!? We absolutely HOPE so. If you have not received your shirt (s) yet, they will be arriving later this week. We had to reorder some of the sizes and they have just come in.
We will keep everyone updated on Kaden and Lincoln as we continue to create financial support for both families. The event has ended, but the struggles these families face are still very present and very overwhelming. Last we shared, we raised $2000 for each family, but thanks to more donations we have raised $3000 for each. We have some small events coming up and then our annual Sun Fest beer carts. Proceeds from all events will directly support both Kaden and Lincoln. We have fallen in LOVE with both boys and their parents and are on a mad mission to ease financial burdens for both.
Thank you for being part of the Hope From Harrison team! We all make the difference in the lives of these families together. We could not do it without each of you. We are so thankful for you!
All our love,
Matt and Melissa
I never made this post live back in November 2014 after Hope Fest ended! Here it is…
Hello To all of our Wonderful Supporters,
We hope this message finds you well and that everyone enjoyed a plentiful Thanksgiving with loved ones. We sure did as we have so much to be thankful for this year and after the success and hard work of Hope Fest, we were excited to be with friends and family and share our thankfulness.
As each contribution has come in we have had the opportunity to send a thank you note. Now that Hope Fest has come and gone we want to share the successes, the joys and the experience with you all. Without your contributions Hope Fest never could have come to fruition and we are so grateful!! It was amazing to watch an idea come to life.
As promised, tshirts are on the way for your amazing donations! We hope to have them all in the mail in the next two weeks. If you did not send us your tshirt size, please do so we can get yours to you!
Some of you were able to attend November 22 and we hope that your day was as full of love and joy as ours was. For those that live far away and could not be here let us tell you, it was MAGNIFICENT! We are so very proud of our accomplishments and what was created that day.
In case you are unaware Hope Fest, with the help of your contributions, raised money for two local families.
Kaden Myers was recently diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Kaden is a precious little boy now 9 months old. SMA is the number 1 genetic killer of infants. 90% of babies diagnosed with SMA before the age of two will not see their second birthday. SMA is a progressive motor neuron disease similar to ALS but preys on babies. SMA first attacks the child’s ability to walk, crawl, and stand. Eventually it hinders motion from the very muscles that allow us to swallow, smile, or even breathe on our own. Our goal is to help get a heater for their family pool to help with regular therapies and to get the special wheelchair Kaden needs by his first birthday.
Lincoln Gorfido is a preemie and was born at 24 weeks. Lincoln is a twin, but his precious brother Paxton survived only 30 hours. Lincoln spent 3 1/2 months in NICU and just left the hospital in time for Hope Fest. With outrageous medical bills from too much time in the hospital to the long haul ahead of the family we are helping with major medical expenses. Currently Lincoln has anywhere from 2-7 doctors appointments a week. He will require a lot of therapy over the next few years as well to ensure that he develops properly internally and physically. We are here to help bridge that gap as best as possible so that his mom can be home with him while he grows and thrives.
The day was full of music, 2 stages, an out of this world kids zone (thank you JCC and Jupiter Bounce), food, drinks, vendors, love and fun. Both families were glowing knowing that all of this was for them. They deserve this love so much after all they have been through the last few months and all they continue to go through in the months ahead. It is really special to be able to lift some burden off of them and surround them in a day of love dedicated to them. Both families had loved ones with them, strangers anxious to meet them, and a lot of people wanting to support them.
We had around 1000 people throughout the day; around 700 adults and 300 children. We were able to raise money for both families and create some really special memories for all who attended. We still have not determined who had more fun, the adults or the kids!!! We have heard from many children, “This was the best day EVER!!” and heard from adults that they loved being able to come and listen to great music and have a blast while their child/children were also having a great time! The kids played their hearts out in the kids zone until it closed, had some break dancing adventures with the break dancing group that preformed, then the kids danced on stage all night with the bands. It was AWESOME!!!
Leading up to the day we had 4 different print articles written about Hope From Harrison, our story and Hope Fest. The news did a beautiful piece on us and Hope Fest and Kaden and his family prior to the event. The day of the event had the media there 4 different times!! They ran us all day and night and into the next day! It was so amazing. There was something incredibly special about sharing Harrison’s story, our story, with Palm Beach County. It made us really proud.
We are continuing to raise money for both families over the next 6 months. We are committed to making a difference for both of them. As we said before, they deserve it. We know too well the struggles they are going through and we are so honored to help and grateful for all of your help so we can!
Thank you all again from the bottom of our hearts!
Wishing all a beautiful holiday season!
With love,
Matt and Melissa Hudson
Well, it’s time for “one of those” posts…..and there maybe a few of these over the next few weeks as this is a little bit of an emotional time.
For those that have followed me/us on Caringbridge over the years know that I get extremely emotional whenever we take on a new family. The timing of our events intensifies the emotions as Sunfest planning and full on “go time” hit right around Harrison’s death day and now all things Hope Fest are happening around Harrison’s birthday. I often feel like these days would probably come and go and I may not think too much about them if it were not for the connections I was making with families and the constant promoting of theses events for Hope From Harrison, but given the timing it is just how it goes.
Needless to say it has been an emotional few weeks. I have connected with our new families and started to get to know them. Katie and Kyle and Kaden are forever in my heart and soul now. Jillian, Tadd, Lincoln and angel baby Paxton are also forever embedded in my being. We’ve been brought together under the worst circumstances, but now we are Hope From Harrison family and that means forever. I wake up each day and think about them, I send strength to them, I worry about them, I am hopeful for them. I do the same thing for the Orozco’s, The Snow’s, The Dodson’s, Gin and Bren, and Josiah and his family. It was a think about everyday for them and for us. I think about all our struggles, our triumphs, our joys and our sorrows. It is a lot to carry around, but is who I am and it is how it is.
As we work tirelessly on Hope Fest in hopes of creating a HUGE success for Kaden and Lincoln and for Hope From Harrison, I carry a lot of extra emotional weight. I have two more families in my heart. I also have the bittersweet burden of Harrison’s birthday approaching. November 1, in a perfect world, Harrison would be 4. FOUR! And as I was working away on things a few minutes ago on the website for Hope Fest I decided to take a peak at the video called “Harrison’s journey.” It is extremely difficult for me to watch, in fact I hadn’t watched it since his funeral (aka “Celebration”) until Harper came home from the hospital. Tonight I watched about a minute and turned it off. As I watched and cried and felt my broken heart ache throughout my entire body I realized he died at 5 months and 3 days. Tomorrow my Harper turns 5 months and 3 days.
I was looking at the photos to see the similarities in features of Harrison and Harper. There is something about them that is so similar, more so than with Maxwell, and yet different. However, I just felt the need to have a peak and revisit their faces. As I looked at Harrison the same thoughts come into my head now as they did on those very days the pictures were taken, “why can’t he get better?” “how can such a precious little person with such beautiful skin and all his perfect beautiful parts be so sick?” “Why the hell can’t my baby move?” It was then that it hit me, “what will be another beautiful and heart warming day with Harper was my last day with Harrison.” And as the tears pour down my face in that consideration I am so grateful for Harper’s health, so thrilled that her smile and slobber make my heart explode with joy and happiness, and so sad so to not have had more days with Harrison.
And with that the journey continues. With each emotional moment I have the strength and desire to support other families continues. The goal of adding brightness to their darkest hours continues and the love of loving others grow stronger. May Hope Fest be a beautiful day of love and celebration for all we have loved and lost and those here with us that deserve to be loved, cared for and filled with HOPE.
Much Love,
Melissa
