4th JaM Fundraiser Benefits Lainie's Angels Foundation
 

Photos by Melissa Cipolla Stathi Afendoulis, co-founder of Lainie's Angels and Anthoula Katsimatides, co-founder of the JaM Foundation.

The JaM Foundation for Life held its fourth annual fundraiser on Monday, May 1 to benefit Lainie's Angels, the leading provider of peer support for parents of children living with cancer and blood disorders. More than 200 guests filled the Cavo Caf Lounge in Astoria to honor the lives of three unique individuals: John and Mike Katsimatides and Lainie Afendoulis, in whose memories the two charities were founded.

A significant portion of the event's proceeds will benefit Lainie's Angels' innovative in-hospital peer support and Parent Advocate programs. All funds have been earmarked to pilot a project in partnership with Mount Sinai School of Medicine and its educational arm, The Morchand Center, to help pediatric medical students and residents understand the special needs of families with children facing life-threatening illnesses.

"Through the generosity of the JaM Foundation, we are able to create programs at Mt. Sinai that will enable our parent advocates to educate medical students who will ultimately treat children with cancer and blood disorders, and at the same time, work directly with the families whose children are being treated there," Stathi Afendoulis, who with his wife, Emily, founded Lainie's Angels, said.

Front (l. to r.): Callie Douvres, Maria Andriotis, Carol Georgiades, Calliope Katsimatides, Emily Afendoulis, Chrisoula Papoutsakis (photo of John and Mike Katsimatides), Chris Triantafillou, Anthoula Katsimatides, Stathi Afendoulis; rear (l. to r.): George Katsimatides, Tina Mousouroulis, Vicki Robles, Jim Lolis, Constantine Zachariadis, Jimmy Mousouroulis, Chris Kulakis, Peter Sideris, Antonios Katsimatides.

"Emily and Stathi's support and compassion is inspiring," said Anthoula Katsimatides, founder of the JaM Foundation. "Lainie's Angels clearly expresses Lainie's effervescence for life--an effervescence found in my own brothers-and I couldn't find a more incredible organization to raise money for."

Past charitable recipients of JaM Foundation fundraising efforts include Autism Speaks, the Greek Children's Fund, the Samaritans Suicide Prevention Organization of New York, Young Adults with Special Abilities, the Children's Blood Foundation and the Louis V. DiGregorio Memorial Foundation for Aneurysm Research, among others.

The Johnny and Mikey (J.a.M.) Katsimatides Foundation for Life was named for and inspired by the tragic loss of two brothers: Mike Katsimatides, who was a suicide in May 1999, and John Katsimatides, who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The foundation seeks to promote a diverse set of charitable endeavors, including music education, cancer research, aid for underprivileged youth, suicide prevention and the rights of crime victims, by donating funds raised through a variety of community events to charities that embody the spirit, character and lives of John and Mike. The foundation believes its donations will enable these charitable organizations to promote the well being of the community while perpetuating John and Mike's joint legacy and honoring the lives of these two special individuals. For more information, visit www.jamfoundation.org.

-Anthoula Katsimatides