Board of Advisors Final

Message from Dan and Angella Henry Our gratitude knows no bounds for your steadfast faith in our vision to advance DJ’s legacy through the DJ Henry Dream Fund. With every passing moment, we stand proud in the knowledge that thousands of young lives have been touched by the foundation that bears his name. We believe that every child deserves a YES! Our mission is to empower and support children who simply want to realize their dreams and aspirations. Whether you host an event, share information within your networks, or contribute directly, every effort will help us to ensure our sustainability so that these childhood ambitions will continue to be realities for thousands more Massachusettsbased children.

Your willingness to be of service to others will contribute to our shared vision of creating a brighter future for young dreamers.

Welcome to the team and thank you for your commitment to making dreams a reality!

Message from Advisory Board Chair, Deb Hicks As Chair of the DJ Henry Dream Fund Advisory Board, I am honored and humbled to join all of you in being part of something that has and will continue to transform the lives of youth throughout our communities. The demand is growing with our success and with your support we can create even greater human connection through activities that build a foundation of hope and access for all. I look forward to connecting with each of you in the advancement of our work and progress toward our goals of impacting the lives of youth, achieving long-term financial sustainability, and continuing to drive DJ’s legacy of service to others.

The Power of A Single YES! The DJ Henry Dream Fund addresses the economic disparities that keep children from participating in community-based programming because of cost. A shift away from schoolbased sports to local leagues means that some options available to families are too expensive. Studies find that “only two-thirds of children from low-affluence families had ever tried an organized sport, compared to 89% from high-affluence families,” in a survey reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (July 2021).

Another 2021 study on “Disparities in Youth Sports and Barriers to Participation” summarized that Youth who come from families without extensive financial means are increasingly finding it difficult to play organized sports, with this trend holding when broken down by insurance status (public versus private).” The DJ Henry Dream Fund works to expand access to these positive outcomes by giving every child an opportunity to say “yes” to sports and program participation, which can improve access, inclusion, equity, and lifelong impact.

Our need-based model allows us to meet children and their families wherever they are. We serve lower-income Massachusetts children ages 5 to 18. To date, the greatest demand has come from the South Shore and Greater Boston areas but we would like to reach more communities in Western and Northern Massachusetts. With your help, we can make this happen

About Our Recipients $1,000,000+ in scholarships have been provided by the Department DJ Henry Dream Fund since 2011 Over 11,000 children have received scholarships through the DJ Henry Dream Fund Over 75% of our recipients identify as people of color 85% of our applicants receive free or reduced lunch 25% of our applicants are being raised by grandparents We are in 82 of the 351 Communities of Massachusetts and want to expand

SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN: With your help, we hope to raise an incremental $1,000,000 by 10/29/2024 (DJ’s 35th birthday).

Our goal for 2024 is ambitious but necessary for the youth of Massachusetts who rely on us to provide access to activities they are passionate about.

Thanks to Advisory Board members Melissa Bradley and Allessandra Bradley Burns, The Nathan Cummings Foundation has granted us $50,000 to be matched, to kick off our fundraising.

We have also been approved for bibs for the 2024 Falmouth Road Race! Please let us know if you have anyone interested in running for the DJ Henry Dream Fund. All funds raised will be applied to our sustainability goal!

Board of Governors Dan and Angella Henry Peter Kilmartin Deb Hicks Marvia Murrell Colleen Corona Sonya Posey

Board of Advisors Matt Bailey and Jessica Lord Bart Thorpe and Laurie David Melissa Bradley and Alessandra Bradley Burns Ella Kramer and Stephen Kramer Barbara MacDonald Charlie and Julie Sennott Dotty Volpe Hasoni Pratts Conan Harris Nancy Kramer and Christopher Celeste Deepa Janha Matt Ribaudo MORE TO COME!!

From Our Families We couldn’t do it without YOU! I want to thank DJ Henry Dream Fund for helping me get my children into programs that was not within my budget. As a single mom, things get tough with everything going on between mortgage and food cost there's not much budget for extracurricular activities.

THANK you for making it possible.

I love hockey

THANK YOU! Thank you & all your donors who help me afford my daughter's dance. Without this scholarship, my family would have been limited with options for our daughter to attend the basketball program.

My husband and I are so grateful for the grant that we received. Without it, we would not have been able to afford to send our son to camp, where he got to experience so many wonderful field trips within our community and stay active outside in the fresh air. Both my husband and I work full time and what a relief it was to know that our little guy was enjoying his summer with peers in a safe and exciting environment. Thank you all so much!

I’m a champion ~ Thanks to the DJ Henry Dream Fund

My son was bullied and shy with very low self-esteem. Just giving him the opportunity to play a youth sport has changed him for the better!! I couldn't thank you enough. My son has gained so much self-confidence and discipline and is a different child!

WE SAID YES

Activation and Resources Share Information and videos with your network of potential donors Host an event at your home, virtually or at another location Ask your company to match your donation Attend a DJHDF event Recruit Advisory Board Members