FRED’S FOOTSTEPS REACHES
$5 MILLION MILESTONE

Philadelphia, PA—Fred’s Footsteps today announced a funding milestone: It has provided over $5 Million in support to families in the Philadelphia region who are caring for a critically ill, injured or disabled child.

“This is an impressive milestone for us, our donors, and our partners,” said Christine DiBona Lobley, Executive Director of Fred’s Footsteps. “For the past 13 years, Fred’s Footsteps has been instrumental in ensuring that hard-working families in our region don’t need to worry about losing their home, or missing utility and car payments while they care for their sick or disabled child.”

Fred’s Footsteps provides a bridge of financial support for working families in the greater Philadelphia region who find themselves in crisis due to the costs associated with caring for a seriously ill, injured, or disabled child. Financial assistance from Fred’s Footsteps carries a maximum value of $10,000 over the course of one year, with an average dollar amount varying depending on the case. Support covers the lost wages of parents who are forced to leave work or reduce their hours to provide round-the-clock care for their child, home renovations needed to accommodate wheelchairs and other medical equipment, transportation costs, medical equipment not covered by insurance, and household bills (including mortgage, rent, and utilities) that have been put on the back burner due to medical expenses.

In the last three years alone, $1.6 Million was invested back in the community through the organizations support of families in the 18 counties surrounding Philadelphia (Atlantic, Cape May, Lancaster, Northampton, Berks, Chester, Lehigh, Ocean, Bucks, Cumberland, Mercer, Philadelphia, Burlington, Delaware, Montgomery, Salem, Camden, Gloucester, or New Castle).

“No parent should have to make the choice between going to work and staying by their child’s hospital bed. Our hope is that we can provide a little breathing room, so that families can focus on their child’s health without completely compromising their financial standing or jeopardizing their future,” said Fred’s Footsteps Board Member and Managing Director at Accenture, Michael Bova.

The organization was established in 2005 in memory of Fred DiBona, Jr., who was President and CEO of Independence Blue Cross and a leading force among Philadelphia’s business executives for more than three decades. His life and career were a remarkable combination of public and private service, and he was passionate about lending a helping hand. For more information, visit www.fredsfootsteps.org.