On Wednesday, January 31, employees of Santa Ana, California-based Veros Real Estate Solutions (Veros) will take time out of their workdays to create jars of toys and goodies for community children undergoing cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and other facilities.
Veros, a leading provider of data, analytics and technology for the mortgage banking industry, is joining a nationwide program, organized by the Jessie Rees Foundation, to raise funds and lift the spirits of children in hospitals fighting for their lives.
In 2011, 11-year-old Jessica Joy Rees of Santa Margarita, California, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a highly aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain tumor found at the base of the brain. She had two.
During her own 10-month battle Jessie was determined to live fully, never give up, and help others who shared her diagnosis but not her mobility. She knew that fighting cancer made you feel lonely and limited and came up with the idea to offer some relief by giving as many as possible a jar “stuffed with love.”
She and her parents, Staci and Eric Rees, a pastor at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, began stuffing 64-oz. plastic jars with toys and stickers, then taking them to other kids who were also undergoing treatment.
“I just wanted to make them happier,” she told a TV news reporter. “‘Cause I know they’re going through a lot, too.”
Jessie personally sent over 3,000 JoyJars® to kids during her fight, which ended at age 12 in January 2012. Since then more than 100,000 JoyJars have been sent to courageous kids worldwide. Her own battle cry, “Never Ever Give Up,” has become the Foundation’s slogan, and its acronym, NEGU®, is keeping Jessie’s memory alive as it encourages others to keep fighting.
The Foundation website posts that in 2016 alone 38,000 JoyJars were stuffed for children in all 50 states and 29 countries, with funds raised in excess of $2.7 million.
Veros made a generous contribution to the Jessie Rees Foundation and the Veros employees will spend the morning creating hundreds of JoyJars.
“Everyone here at Veros is grateful to be able to join this powerful program to help the children of our community,” said Darius Bozorgi, president and chief executive officer. “Jessie’s bravery and compassion inspires everyone who hears it and we are proud to do our small part to further spread the word to our friends and associates here and across the country.”
The Mobile JoyFactory is available in all 50 states and has visited the offices of compassionate corporations like Anthem, UPS, American Airlines, COX, Applied Medical, DeVita, Baxalta, and Veros. To inquire about availability for a JoyFactory to visit your business or group, contact the Jessie Rees Foundation at (888) 648-6348 or info@jessie.org.
About the Jessie Rees Foundation / NEGU
In 2011, 12-year-old Jessie Rees created and stuffed over 3,000 JoyJars herself during her 10-month fight against inoperable brain cancer (DIPG). Jessie had a deep desire to help the other kids fighting cancer “smile” and be encouraged to NEGU (Never Ever Give Up). Jessie lost her courageous fight on January 5, 2012, yet the foundation she started continues her mission to offer care by distributing more than 200,000 JoyJars to kids fighting cancer across the US – in every state, plus 33 other countries. The Foundation has provided 100 percent of the JoyJars at no cost to hospitals or the recipients and is completely funded through private and corporate donations. For more information, please visit http://negu.org/.
Veros Media Contact
Darcy Patch
VP of Marketing
714.415.6300, extension 11015
communications@veros.com
