Christine's Hope for Kids (CHFK) was founded to honor the memory and continue the legacy of the late Christine Gianacaci, a 22-year-old Lynn University student hailing from Hopewell.
Christine Gianacaci Christine's Hope for Kids (CHFK) was founded to honor the memory and continue the legacy of the late Christine Gianacaci, a 22-year-old Lynn University student hailing from Hopewell.
Christine had a passion for helping children in need and was fulfilling that passion on a January 2010 mission to Haiti when her life was tragically taken by a catastrophic earthquake. Her determined pursuit of spreading hope to children led her parents, Jean and John Gianacaci, to found the organization in her honor.
The Foundation's mission is to help less fortunate children in Mercer County, while collaborating with local community agencies to benefit children in need.
Throughout Christine Gianacaci's short, but very full life, she had one true passion: to help children in any way she could. It was a passion she felt deeply. It was born, in part, from her own struggles as a child.
As a young girl, Christine was extremely social and outgoing, so much so that she earned the nickname "the mayor." If a new child came into the classroom at school, Christine would be the first child to introduce herself, and then take the initiative to introduce the new student to everyone else. She had a natural love for people, a natural kindness, and positive energy that was hard to contain.
But, at age 11, life changed dramatically for Christine when she was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. Suddenly, she could not do many of things the other kids could. She couldn't go to the movies, church, or other quiet places because of the constant ticking. And, of course, she bore teasing and ridicule from other children, who never quite understood how much their words could hurt.
Christine seemed to go into her shell, becoming quiet, shy and withdrawn. But inside, she was developing a pure understanding of the power of kindness and giving, an understanding that would bring new meaning and direction to her life. When she was teased, she didn't get angry or resentful but, instead, tried to understand. It became her signature to always be generous and always give. Often kids that live with adversity respond by opening their hearts to others.
Toward the end of high school, the Tourette's began to calm down, allowing Christine to enroll at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. It was at Lynn University where all of Christine's wisdom and experiences started to come together, and her life of giving and helping children began to take shape.
In the spring of her sophomore year, Christine took her first mission trip to Jamaica with a group called Food for the Poor. It was transformative. She talked about the children, working in the schools and helping in the orphanages where she saw the poorest of the poor. She helped build houses, feed sick children, and deliver clothes and toys. It gave her a whole new appreciation for her family and her life. She began to take account of all she had and all she had taken for granted. All she talked about was going back.
So the next year, when she learned of the trip to Haiti, there was never a question. She knew it was her calling. She knew she had to go.
Because of Christine's kindness, compassion, determination and generosity, thousands of children locally will have an opportunity for a better life. That is the commitment of Christine's Hope for Kids. That is the foundation's promise to Christine.
Your donation to the 2015 Times Annual Appeal will help Christine's Hope for Kids continue its mission to help kids in need in our community.
NJM Insurance group of West Trenton has pledged to donate $1,000 for every $5,000 contributed by the community and other business donors throughout the 2015 campaign.
To make a donation to support Christine's Hope for Kids, make your check payable to The Times Holiday Appeal and mail to Times Charities, Inc., 413 River View Plaza, Trenton, NJ 08611.
All gifts will be acknowledged in The Times. Anonymity will be granted if requested.
For more information about Christine's Hope for Kids, go to www.christineshope.org.
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