The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 by Sara Knight in honor of her daughter Julia, who passed away in 2013 due to complications of a rare disease called I-cell. Julia was 12 when she passed away and graced all those fortunate enough to know her with inspiration and joy. While caring for her medically fragile child, Sara learned that social, government, and insurance services just aren’t able to come close to providing the support families need. Sara has since dedicated herself to the program she established by walking alongside families and helping them to fill in the gaps.

Through The Sweet Julie Grace Foundation, Sara and her team of volunteers become part of families’ inner circles; discern needs and wishes for the children, connect the families with various resources and assist them as they navigate the various systems and trials that go along with having a child with special/medical needs. Sara explains, “we are not here to just give a one-time gift; we do life with these families.”

The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation brings the community together and inspires volunteerism of all ages. Since being founded in 2014, there have been over a thousand volunteers come through this program. SJGF is currently working with more than 15 new West Virginia families, one of which had a wish for a special needs trike for their son.  The mother says her son loves to try to keep up with the other kids and this custom bike will allow him to do so. The family couldn’t afford the costly $3,500 trike, but SJGF said “yes!” and this little guy will now have his new wheels by spring. Interested in seeing how you can get involved in helping? Sweet Julia Grace Foundation’s West Virginia Hospital program kicked off last year and they will be looking for businesses and groups to host packing parties again this year to provide supplies to families who may have had to rush to the hospital and arrived there unprepared for a stay. This thoughtful gesture can help bring a family a little bit of sunshine on a rainy day. To learn more about how you can get involved, visit their website at www.sweetjuliagrace.org