Chasin a Dream Foundation

Charity

Lori Griffith spent 18 years working in healthcare administration, but it was a chance meeting with the single mother of a 2-year-old daughter with leukemia that changed her life.

Faced with mounting medical bills, the woman lost her house and was living in her car. Tragically she lost her daughter and didn’t have money for the funeral and burial. Griffith went to social media to raise the needed funds from the community, and this formed the basis of “locals helping locals.” “The community came through and I never wanted to see another mother go through this. Given the opportunity, I knew I could make a difference,” says Griffith.

By 2017 Griffith took a leap of faith. She left her job and with her own savings, launched Chasin a Dream Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to the families of children who are battling cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses.

“Their stories are what prompted me to take a chance,” she says.

A professional photographer, Griffith posts photos of each of the children on her website and provides donors with their stories. There’s Jade, a playful 5-year-old with leukemia; Grace, a 2-year-old girl diagnosed with Neuroblastoma; and Memphis, a 7-year-old paralyzed in a car crash. She keeps the profiles updated. It’s all part of her desire to let donors know just where their money is going and who it is helping. 

“We are transparent and that is extremely important to me,” Griffith says. “We would never get the community response we get if people didn’t trust us and know their donations were making a direct impact in a local child’s life.”

From helping families pay everyday expenses such as food, utilities and housing, to connecting Memphis, the paralyzed child, with a service dog named Juliet, Chasin a Dream helps lighten the load families face as they navigate life’s challenges.

Locals helping locals is what she says it’s all about.

“It’s local people and local businesses helping local children that builds a strong community,” says Griffith, whose organization focuses on Palm Beach and Martin counties. Her hope one day is to expand.

“If you had asked me ten years ago if I would be here, I would have said say ‘no,’ but it’s probably what I have been working toward my whole life. If you can see a difference you make in someone’s life, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Chasin a Dream Foundation, 561-315-7005, chasinadream.org, lori@chasinadream.org

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