Taylor's Gift

By Tara Storch, co-founder of Taylor’s Gift and Taylor’s Mom

“Did you know this was coming out in People Magazine?”, “How did that happen?”  ”What was that like?”….are some of the questions we have received.

We wanted to fill you all in and thought a blog post would be the best way.

First, we have to tell you how honored we feel for being featured in this national publication. What a huge blessing for Taylor’s Gift to reach millions of people and introduce the foundation to people who didn’t know about it.

Here’s the background story…over a year ago, we were contacted by a freelance writer for People Magazine. We did an interview and kept in contact with her but nothing came of it and the story was put on hold. Uh…yea…we were bummed. We thought it may not ever be published.

Fast-forward to summer of 2012:  Todd and I were in NYC and were able to meet for lunch with the Senior Editor of People Magazine. She connected us with a staff writer who reached out to us for an interview. The story was pitched to the editors and quickly approved. Emails started coming in about scheduling a photo shoot … Read more.

Taylor’s Gift is thrilled to be a part of the 2013 Rose Bowl Parade by sponsoring organ recipient Jonathan Finger on Donate Life’s tenth Rose Parade float.

Jonathan Finger received a kidney from Taylor, giving him another lease on life after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease as a young adult. Jonathan received a kidney transplant from his mother in 2002, but unfortunately the organ rejected completely.

After years of intense dialysis, open heart surgery, and nearly eight years of waiting for yet another kidney transplant, Jonathan received Taylor’s gift, the gift of life, the gift we all have within. As a result, he no longer faces long-term dialysis and related health problems. Jonathan learned of Taylor’s story when her parents reached out to him. After learning of her story, Jonathan was emboldened to honor the one who saved his life by living life to the fullest. “I vowed to treasure this gift from Taylor, do what I could to memorialize her, and to live in the present.” Jonathan assembled a team for Taylor’s Gift Foundation and rode in the 2011 Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, a 500 mile, seven-day trek across Iowa.

This is the second … Read more.

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It is amazing to me that today is November 1st!  Where has the year gone?

2012 has absolutely flown by and there is so much to be thankful for!

We need your help.  Today starts our Holiday Appeal and your contributions are needed to help us continue our work.

When we were honored by winning the 2012 “Best New Charity”, something really stuck with me.  The co-founder and CEO of the CLASSY Awards introduced all of the final candidates and said,

‘these charities not only have made major impact in a short amount of time,

but have the potential and ability to do amazing, world-changing work’.

There is so much work to be done!

• millions still need to register to become certified organ donors across the US
• over 115,000 people are on the waiting list for an organ donation
• donor families, transplant recipients and candidates have financial and emotional needs.  Our goal is that Taylor’s Place will provide grants based on those specific needs

To make this easy, all you need to do is visit www.stayclassy.org/TaylorsGiftHolidayAppeal.  Sign up and fundraise on our behalf or make a contribution.  No contribution is too small.

We have … Read more.