Post-Event Press Release
Posted by admin in Cancer Research, hugs and kisses on March 2, 2010
The following was published in the website Topix:
Hugs and Kisses, Inc. held their Grand Opening of the new Hugs and Kisses Center on Friday, February 5th. The event kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Palms West Chamber of Commerce at 5:00 PM and was followed by standing-room-only attendance during a catered Open House until 8:00 PM.
Founders Peter Morris, Jean Morris, Evelyn Strunk surrounded by volunteers
Funds raised for Hugs and Kisses, Inc. cover living expenses for cancer patients in desperate financial need. Students also qualify for scholarships based on their commitments to Hugs and Kisses. And scholarships are also available for children of families affected by cancer.
“This is an exciting time for us, and we’re so happy that we can share this with the community at large,” said Jean Morris, founder of the Royal Palm Beach-based charity organization.
Hugs and Kisses raises donations to cover living expenses for cancer patients in desperate financial need. Teenagers volunteer and run all functions of the Center, which produces our own unique, trademarked bracelets that we give to our donors. They are also mentored in all parts of the business including accounting, finance, marketing, fulfillment, and website development, among others.
‘Right now, in your community, there are people who can survive their cancers – with existing technology – if they could afford to hold on,’ explained Hugs and Kisses Director Peter Morris. ‘But if they can’t afford
to hold on, there’s always Hugs and Kisses.’
On hand to initiate the ceremony was Debi Leed, Palms West Chamber of Commerce Membership Director. ‘This is a great way to give support to our members, and to initiate them into the Central Palm Beach County community.’ Palms West Chamber of Commerce is a leadership organization which advocates for a healthy business environment, providing member services, benefits, education, and information for Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Greenarcres, Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage/Loxahatchee. Hugs and Kisses is also registered with HandsOn Network, which allows
volunteers to participate in the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day program, giving earning for volunteers a free day at Walt Disney World. Among other activities, The organization hosts ‘Parties with a Purpose’, where families or friends design and make Hugs and Kisses bracelets. Such is the kind of information prospective volunteers, their families and other community members heard at the open house event.
“If you’re interested, come in and see what we’re about,” Morris says. Those interested can attend in person at the location: 10131 Southern Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach, on the NW corner of Southern Boulevard and State Road 441.
*For more information, visit http://www.hugsandkissesinc.org.
New Hugs and Kisses Design for 2010
Posted by admin in hugs and kisses on February 26, 2010
We’re excited to present another new design for 2010.
In addition to our core styles, we present the 2-strand leather with our logo button that we give for donations of $10 or more (plus $2 for postage and handling if it’s being shipped).
Aqua 2-strand Hugs and Kisses with silver logo button
Black 2-strand leather Hugs and Kisses with silver logo button.
This enables us to thank donors with a nice gift between the BASIC Hugs and Kisses we give for donations of $5 or more and our DESIGNER Hugs and Kisses we give for donations of $20 or more.
A representative will confirm sizes for all online and phone-in orders.
Visit the Hugs and Kisses Center in Royal Palm Beach, FL where you can see our mentored teens in operation, and choose from an endless selection of color choices to suit your wardrobe.
Otherwise, feel free to contact us via email or phone to discuss available styles that suit your wardrobe.
Enjoy!
Join us for the Grand Opening of our new facility called HUGS AND KISSES CENTER
Posted by admin in Cancer Research, Uncategorized, hugs and kisses on February 3, 2010
Hugs and Kisses Center
Please join us in celebrating our Grand Opening of the brand new Hugs and Kisses Center on Friday, February 5th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
• On the NW corner of Southern Boulevard and State Road 441.
(Between K-Mart and Bealls)
• Out of Towners can visit us during the event for live updates at:
FACEBOOK Hugs And Kisses, Inc.
TWITTER @HugsKissesInc
WEBSITE www.HugsAndKissesinc.org.
• Please RSVP to info@hugsandkissesinc.org or 561-819-9471.
The event kicks off the with the Palms West Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 5:00 PM followed by an Open House until 8:00 PM.
Donations are NOT REQUIRED but are ALWAYS WELCOME. In just one year, we began as a Relay for Life team and now have our own operations facility that evolved out of sheer demand.
What We Do At this location, teenagers volunteer and run all functions of the Hugs and Kisses Center which produces our own unique, trademarked bracelets that we give to our donors. They are also mentored in all parts of the business including accounting, finance, marketing, fulfillment, website development, etc.
Why It’s Important Right now, in your community, there are people who can survive their cancers – with existing technology – if they could afford to hold on. But if they can’t afford to hold on, there’s always HUGS and KISSES.
Funds raised for Hugs and Kisses, Inc. cover living expenses for cancer patients in desperate financial need. Students also qualify for scholarships based on their commitments to Hugs and Kisses. And scholarships are also available for children of families affected by cancer.
Earn a Free Day at Disney: We are registered at vop.handsonnetwork.org so you can volunteer in the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day program. Among other activities, we host “Parties with a Purpose” where families or friends design and make HUGS and KISSES bracelets.
Now Don’t Keep This a Secret. Please tell your friends and family wherever they are as our programs benefit people across America. Funds are always returned to the region from which they originate. Grants to Hugs and Kisses, Inc. allow us to assist patients beyond any amount of donations raised.
Hugs and Kisses Presentation
Posted by admin in Cancer Research, hugs and kisses on January 15, 2010
Donation of estimated 2,000,000 buttons arrived
Posted by admin in Cancer Research, Uncategorized, hugs and kisses on November 17, 2009
Dasco Manufacturing Shipment
We are so very humbled and further encouraged beyond words upon receiving a corporate donation of about 2,000,000 buttons from Dasco Manufacturing today. Dasco manufactures the sewing kits that our military uses to maintain their uniforms.
These are buttons that were in their active inventory until uniform changes rendered these buttons obsolete. They found us online. This donation enables us to introduce a new military-themed line of bracelets to honor, support or remember active and veteran soldiers and their families who won, lost, or are still in a fight with cancer. These new donated buttons will yield over 160,000 HUGS and KISSES bracelets in thanks for $1,500,000 in donations to the cancer patients we support.
If you donate via the PayPal link on this page, someone will call you to discuss available styles.
This marks the 4th unsolicited donation of buttons from corporations who recognize our efforts as deserving of support. Every time this type of donation occurs, we increase the number of themed-lines of bracelets to attract donations from a wider audience.
To date, the corporations who have donated in chronological order are: Sher Plastics, Tiger Button Company, Dyno Merchandise, and now Dasco Manufacturing.
We’re introducing several Holiday bracelets in time for the 2009 season. One we’re most proud of is “Soldiers Christmas” which uses authentic military uniform buttons with Christmas colors.
We thank these companies for their selfless generosity. On behalf of the patients we support, we wish the very best for these companies and many HUGS AND KISSES to the people they employ this Holiday Season.
Awarded our tax-free status on September 29, 2009
Posted by admin in Cancer Research, Cold Hard Cancer Facts, Other Charities and Foundations, Uncategorized, hugs and kisses on October 3, 2009
On September 29, 2009 we were awarded tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code by Robert Choi, Director Exempt Organizations Rulings and Agreements at the Internal Revenue Service.
This is fantastic news that further validates our mission, objectives and practices as deserving of individual and corporate support.
We are pleased to inform you that contributions to Hugs and Kisses are deductible under section 170 and we are qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code.
To inquire about how you or your company can help teenagers in the business of helping cancer patients survive in your community, call 561-819-9471.
US Citizens tell their healthcare stories – Medicaid Mixup Costs Dearly
Posted by admin in hugs and kisses on June 26, 2009
My name is Helen Becks. I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June of 2008 – just six months after losing my husband. Because this was caught early, I was a candidate for surgery so my prognosis was good. Four months into chemotherapy, Medicaid inadvertently dropped my prescription plan which I discovered at the pharmacy window. I could not afford to pay the cost of the necessary medicine.
Helen Becks 1937 - 2009
It took a week for Medicaid to admit their mistake and reinstate my prescription plan. That would be the longest week of my life. Every breath and every heartbeat was exaggerated and accompanied with panic, fear, and finally defeat.
Within a week of restarting my medication I came down with pneumonia. My life ends there. Could it be that the interruption in my prescription cost me my life?
There are so many Americans who still have a fighting chance to beat this disease as long as they have financial resources.
Donate to Hugs and Kisses if you can. If you can’t donate, then speak up and honor those of us who are no longer able to speak for ourselves.
Cancer is not a death sentence… Especially when caught early. There are patients right in your community who could be saved with today’s technology, but they can’t afford treatment. Your donation can literally save them.
(Told by Helen’s daughter, Jean.)
Remarks by the President after meeting with Governors Granholm, Douglas, Doyle, Rounds, and Gregoire to discuss health care
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 25, 2009
Frank Discussion May be Just What the Doctor Ordered
Posted by admin in Cold Hard Cancer Facts on June 23, 2009
Frank Discussions with doctors and patients.
This LA Times article addresses how frank discussion between doctors and patients leads to more options and financial assistance for cancer patients with no means to afford treatment.
Surprising FAST Results for Prostate Drug
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on June 21, 2009
http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/06/first-human-trials-of-prostate-cancer-drug-shock-doctors/
This link above is to a report on 2 people with terminal cases of prostate cancer who recovered completely after trying a new drug. Prior to taking the medicine, both had tumors so large, they were determined to be inoperable. With only one dose, the size of the tumor reduced enough to be operable.
Donate Buttons to Fight Cancer
Posted by admin in Uncategorized, hugs and kisses on June 20, 2009
So many of us have loose buttons that are just too valuable to throw out — but aren’t going to be put to use any time soon.
Here’s a chance to donate them to a cause that raises funds for cancer patients. We turn them into HUGS and KISSES – button bracelets we give as Thank You gifts for donations to our charity.
We need button donations as much as we need monetary donations. That minimizes our costs and maximizes our donations to patients.
Thank you in advance. Use “Comment” or “Contact us” to make arrangements.
Hugs and Kisses
CBS: More Cancer Patients Can’t Afford Care
Posted by admin in Cold Hard Cancer Facts on June 16, 2009
Financial Help and Other Resources for Cancer Patients
Posted by admin in Other Charities and Foundations on June 10, 2009
Please visit our PATIENT CARE section to speak or blog with our panel of survivors who offer guidance through all stages of your treatment and recovery.
In addition to our financial support, there are many other organizations to help you.
We encourage you to visit this National Cancer Institute link to discover these resources and their policies.
Are HUGS and KISSES the CURE?
Posted by admin in hugs and kisses on June 1, 2009
If you have hope, we have help.
Hugs and Kisses, Inc. is a non-profit charity run by teenagers. We raise funds for local cancer patients with desperate financial needs.
THANK YOU GIFT - HUGS and KISSES bracelet made from donated buttons
The problem:
Right now, cancer patients in your community who are in the fight of their lives are also in the grim predicament of having to choose between paying for a bill, or paying for a pill. Every Month!
This is hardly the time to fight creditors!
Our solution:
We raise funds to lift this burden so patients can focus on healing. Local funds go to local patients. And our system is efficient: at least 85% of your donation goes to our programs – not administration.
Show your support: Explore our site, and donate to HUGS and KISSES.
Button Down the Cure With Hugs and Kisses™
