About the Nonprofit
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Our mission is to provide emotional, financial and advocacy support to children with a life-threatening illness and their families in order to help keep them stable, functioning, and able to cope.
Friends of Karen helps families with a child (birth through age 21) who is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and lives in one of the 22 boroughs and counties in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut that we serve (for at least 12 months prior to their diagnosis). In Fiscal Year 2021, Friends of Karen helped 1,320 children and their families.
Friends of Karen is the only organization that provides vital and comprehensive support - AT NO COST - to families in the New York Tri-State region caring for a child battling cancer or another life-threatening illness, from diagnosis throught treatment. Through personal advocacy, our team of experienced professionals - social workers, child life specialists, arts therapists - ensures that each family receives the support they need to stay functioning and able to cope during a crisis that affects every member of the family.
