Dear JSRF Friends & Family,
It is that time of the year when the sky seems dimmer, and the ocean loses the sparkle of sunlight dancing on its surface. As we approach the anniversaries of death for Jeremy and Jean, it feels like being caught in a powerful riptide – pulling us into deep emotional waters. Yet, no matter how strong the current, we continue to swim, stay afloat, and find our way back to shore, always moving forward with the mission of the Jeremy Stom Remembrance Foundation (JSRF).
We hope and pray that this yearly update finds our JSRF friends and family happy and healthy. As we do once a year, we love to share with you the opportunities afforded to 34 under-resourced teens in 2024. We thank you for taking the time to read the JSRF update.
In 2024, we sponsored an entire soccer team (13) in Lake Zurich, IL by purchasing hooded sweatshirts with our JSRF logo! The hoodies were great in keeping the boys and girls warm on the cold spring days in Chicago. They even won their championship division!
Early June 2024, we sponsored 15 teenagers for various summer camps. The teens enjoyed: soccer, cross-country, football, wrestling, and volleyball camps! We received many thank yous from the participants, they are full of hope for a bright future. While it was hard to choose which messages to share, here are a few:
“I would just like to say thank you to the Jeremy Stom Foundation for giving me a scholarship to play Lake Zurich Summer Football 2024. I really appreciate it. It really means a lot to me because I don’t know where or what I would be doing right now if that hadn’t happened. Hopefully, in the long run, if I go to the NFL, I can donate a lot of money to the foundation, or I can reach out to you guys or you could reach out to me. If that happens, I would like to donate to the foundation from the kindness out of my heart. My experience at the Lake Zurich football summer camp has been amazing. I have had great experiences, and there will be many memories left. Again, THANK YOU, Jeremy Stom Foundation!”
“I really enjoyed the Football Camp from my personal experience. It’s an experience that I think everyone should have once in their lifetime. Football is a hard sport, not just physically but also mentally. The coaches push you over what you think you can do and help you succeed. My coaches are really great, and they think ahead of the game. They don’t only focus on winning games, but they focus on their players’ conditions and other aspects that can affect the players’ ability to play. Football is a sport where you are pushed past your limits, and it challenges your mind physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’m really glad I did the summer camp this year. Since I was little, I always wanted to do it, but I never got the chance to play. I really hope to continue playing football for the rest of my high school years. I am beyond excited to get a chance to play this season.”
“Before I say anything I wanna thank Jeremy Stom foundation for giving me the opportunity to get to experience this camp of such an amazing sport I wouldn’t be here without them. This is my first time ever doing football with pads and In the beginning of the camp it was mostly just learning the basics of my positions OL/DL and it was confusing at first but I got it down very quickly, doing it with my teammates and making new friends was great and just as the camp kept going it was just getting better and better just lots of fun and learning new plays and techniques. Once the camp ended it was sad to see it end but I can’t wait till this season begins and I get to play football with such great coaches and teammates. Once again thank you Jeremy Stom Foundation for giving me this opportunity to let me train for my favorite sport and let me do my best to become an athlete.”
In July 2024, we co-sponsored travel expenses for one teen to attend the school of the New York Times. This was an exceptional opportunity for an under-resourced 16-year-old teen traveling for the first time to New York City! This brought back a memory for us of when Jeremy was 16 years old and traveled to NYC for the first time, and what an electrifying experience that was for him.
Finally in August 2024, five teens from the Chicago Jesuit Academy attended overnight camp at Camp Miniwanca in Shelby, Michigan. They had a wonderful week with organized activities, making new friends, roasting marshmallows, and simply having fun!
As we look ahead to 2025, we remain steadfast in our mission to give underprivileged teens the opportunity to Experience Hope. This year, on April 25th, we mark 16 long years without Jeremy. Just ten days later, on May 5th, it will be 15 years without Jean. In their memory, we’re humbled to have supported 34 teens last year, with a total of 301 teens since the inception of the Foundation. We will continue to be a beacon of hope for more young lives in the year ahead. No matter how strong the riptide or how high the waves, we strap on our life vests and hold onto hope – and help others do the same.
We are deeply humbled and thankful for the continued generosity of our family, friends, and anonymous donors. Your financial support makes our work possible. To make a donation or refer a teen, please visit our website.
Peace, Love, & Gratitude,
Ciri, Scott & Sayra