Through the generous donations we raise each year at our Spring Gala, Donate Eight provides funding for programs developed and supported by LiveOnNY Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to LiveOnNY’s core mission of increasing the number of lives saved through education, spreading public awareness about the Gift of Life, financial assistance and social work support to donor families and transplant recipients, and support for living donation.
Programs We Have Funded
The Marino Prodan $25,000 Children’s Fund. Now in its first year, the fund will support 10 children each year who have lost a parent, sibling or other close relative who gave the gift of life to others. Parents can use the $2,500 grant to help fund a variety of needs including their child’s education, summer camp, medical or therapy expenses.
LiveOnNY/Donate Eight “Ya Gotta Have Heart” Emergency Fund Grant to Harboring Hearts. Now in its sixth year, the fund has provided more than 800 financially needy heart and liver transplant patients and their families with temporary housing, food and transportation during hospital stays and pre- and post-transplant medical appointments. In 2022, the grant was expanded to help pediatric kidney patients and their families.
LiveOnNY Donor Simulation Center. Built a state-of-the-art Simulation ICU and Operating Room in 2024 for use as a teaching tool for transplant staff and community groups to understand the process of organ donation.
Support for The Amanda Forsythe Gift of Life Transport Service to escort grieving donor families to and from the hospital or funeral home and provide a comforting hand during a very difficult time.
The LiveOnNY Foundation “Victoria’s 5K Run for Life” – now in its 4th year – to raise awareness and honor 26-year-old Staten Island organ donor Victoria McDonnell.
Transplant hospital supply grant to war-torn Ukraine in partnership with the Greater New York Hospital Association.
Medical Internships for public school kids to learn first-hand from New York transplant surgeons and doctors and nurses about transplantation and careers in health care.
Publication of “Kinsey’s Kidney Adventure” a children’s book about a 5-year-old Queens girl who bravely endured dialysis and got a lifesaving kidney from an anonymous living donor. Eighty percent of the book sale proceeds go to Kinsey’s medical and college fund.
Supported bereavement workshops for grieving teens to help them cope with the loss of a parent or sibling who died and donated their organs to save others. We also provided special bereavement workshops for organ donor families who have lost a loved one to suicide in addition to in-person, telephone or online support to all donor families from LiveOnNY’s aftercare team of social workers.
Education programs for dialysis patients in underserved neighborhoods to learn about the option of transplantation and living donation.
Symposiums and educational health fairs in African American and Asian communities to increase donation and awareness.
Grant to the Halachic Organ Donation Society to increase awareness and donation in the Jewish community and on college campuses.
Established “Marcy’s Gift” – a scholarship program for college-bound high school students to spread awareness about organ and tissue donation.
Support for the LiveOnNY NYC Marathon & TD Five Borough Bike Tour teams to increase awareness about organ donation.
Funded a multi-media advertising campaign to promote New York State’s new modernized organ donor registry featuring six children who received transplants.