As Adar arrived and Purim joy filled the air, preparations for Chai Lifeline families brought both excitement and unexpected stress. While our families navigate pediatric illness, the challenges of this season are magnified. In response, Chai Lifeline supported nearly 6,000 families, ensuring they could embrace the spirit of Purim while addressing their everyday needs. There were a variety of impactful programs and services available to Chai Lifeline families in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania, Greater New York, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and West Coast regions. 

In the NJ/PA region, dedicated volunteers took children to buy the items necessary to build mishloach manot. After an uplifting shopping trip, the children returned to the Art Spot in Lakewood, NJ to assemble packages and enjoy a delicious supper with their peers. 

Chai Lifeline is pleased to announce the recent hires of Atara Garbacz and Jen Lax as co-directors of the Alumni Initiative. Together, they bring a wealth of passion and dedication to Chai Lifeline, with a clear vision to grow and engage the Camp Simcha alumni community.

As Purim quickly approaches, Chai Lifeline is excited to offer again this year a stress-free and heartfelt initiative that brings together tradition, charity, and simcha! Instead of preparing Mishloach Manot, we invite everyone to consider purchasing Purim cards in support of our efforts to deliver joy and hope to children and families impacted by illness & crisis.

The Chai Lifeline Annual Regional Directors Conference was held from January 8-9 in the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, NJ, with representation from Greater New York, New Jersey/Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, and West Coast, as well as Toronto, Montreal, Israel, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. The leadership team united to foster collaboration and innovation in enhancing support for children, families, volunteers, and staff involved in the Chai Lifeline community.  

Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic, the leading local support organization for families facing pediatric illness, announces its most critical fundraiser of the year, “Mission Possible.” The online crowdfunding campaign, starting Motzei Shabbos, February 3 at 8 PM and concluding at midnight on February 4, aims to raise $500,000 to expand its vital services in Baltimore, Silver Spring, and the greater Washington DC area. All funds raised will be matched dollar for dollar thanks to generous benefactors, doubling the impact of each donation.

In a show of solidarity and unity between Israel and the Jewish people, a special group of 10 Israeli soldiers will join Team Lifeline at the upcoming Miami Marathon on January 28. Having received special permission to travel to Florida to participate in the run for Chai Lifeline, Team Lifeline participants and donors will not only be showing their support for heroic children dealing with critical illness but also with the people of Israel and the IDF. 

A new year of laughter, friendship, and camaraderie is underway in communities across the country for more than 800 i-Shine participants. As part of Chai Lifeline’s commitment to caring for the entire family, its i-Shine after–school program is tailored to meet the unique needs of elementary and middle school-aged children living with illness of loss in their families. 

Chai Lifeline recently announced the generous dedication of its national i-Shine program at the organization’s December 4 Evening of Unity event in New York City. Designed to meet the unique needs of elementary and middle school-aged children living with illness or loss in their families, i-Shine provides afterschool programming in a supervised, nurturing, and fun environment. The program pairs young participants with local high school-aged mentors and counselors who provide homework assistance and tutoring, play games, and engage in sports and other recreational activities. Dinner, snacks, and transportation are provided. 

Chai Lifeline, the international support network, announces the dedication of the i-Shine Like Esti afterschool program in Boca Raton. This unique initiative is named in loving memory of Esti Markowitz a”h, a remarkable young girl who touched countless lives with her smile and spirit and is a tribute to her legacy of laughter and love.