Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, Inc.

This is a great charity that does so much amazing work for kids. Every person I’ve talked to there was so nice and cared so much for their cause. I look forward to their gala every year!

ECF works tirelessly to help families across the NJ in every way they can. They make sure that needs both big and small are met. They treat the families like their own with love, kindness, and compassion.

ECF has been a lifeline for countless NJ families facing the daunting challenge of pediatric cancer. Their dedication to providing emotional support through comprehensive family counseling is truly the heart of their mission. The caseworkers, staff, and volunteers go above and beyond, offering unwavering assistance and care in every possible way. I am deeply honored to serve as a board member for such an exceptional organization. Their relentless commitment to supporting families during such difficult times is inspiring and invaluable. Thank you, ECF, for making a profound difference in so many lives.

I have been volunteering for Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for almost 30 years. I have seen the difference ECF makes for families dealing with pediatric cancer. Monthly food deliveries, financial assistance, emotional support are just some of the things offered to families. One of the families I deliver to needed a new front window after their their dog accidentally broke theirs. Within a week of me reporting this, a new window was installed. Since this was the middle of winter, the family was so grateful. Birthdays and holidays are not forgotten - all children in the family receive a gift. Whatever the need, ECF is there to help each family with their individual needs. SHolly

Being involved with the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation has been the most rewarding experience! I am extremely impressed with how many families they are able to help, and how every person involved truly cares. This foundation provides comfort to families struggling through emotional and financial support. I continue to be amazed with the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation and how much of a positive impact it has made on so many families!

I've been involved with the organization for a year now and have been very impressed by how many families have been served and positively impacted by the work that ECF does. We're looking forward to providing continued counselling to families affected by pediatric cancer in NJ.

I have been involved with The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation since their inception, one way or another. In the beginning, it was through my familiy's experiences with the Foundation and then grew to me being a Board member and involved with special events. The work this Foundation does for the families is above and beyond what anyone can imagine. Whether it is emotional support to financial support, many people have no idea the lenghts that these case workers and volunteers go to in order to help a family in need day in and day out. If you don't know much about us, take a minute to look into this amazing amazing foundation. You will be moved beyond belief

ECF helps so many NJ Families navigate through the incredibly challenging journey of pediatric cancer. Emotional support through counseling for the whole family is the cornerstone of ECF's mission. The Caseworkers, staff, and volunteers do amazing work to help families with whatever they need. I am proud to serve as a board member for ECF.

As a 24 year Hodgkin lymphoma cancer survivor I know how devastating it is to be told you have cancer, go through grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I’ll never forget the feeling of helplessness, the feeling of being lost, not knowing what to do or where to turn. I was 32 years old. …. I can not imagine what these poor children go through. I was an adult and it terrified me.

I am so grateful for the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. I feel like I found a second family since I started volunteering last year. I’m so thankful my friend told me help was needed for their annual tricky tray. Volunteering has never been more gratifying. The work this foundation does to help the children and families is simply remarkable. Just amazing. I absolutely love volunteering for this cause, for the awesome staff. I stand behind this foundation 100% and will help out anytime they need me.

ECF truly supports a family every step of the way after a pediatric cancer diagnosis. They provide financial support for daily bills, as well as support groups and social resources for parents, the child with cancer and their siblings. Cancer changes everything and is a day to day struggle. ECF walk along with the family!

As the President of the Board of the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, I am honored to stand behind this remarkable organization. Our mission is to support families with children battling pediatric cancer across New Jersey. Last year alone, we aided over 200 families, offering 4,000 hours of counseling, disbursing $50,000 in emergency funds, and distributing 2,800 bags of groceries. Witnessing the resilience of the children we serve is truly inspiring, and our dedicated team of employees, caseworkers, volunteers, and donors are the pillars of hope for these families. To everyone who supports our cause, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Together, we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing unimaginable challenges.

I am the Chairperson for the Special State Project "The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation" and I am especially thrilled to be assisting this organization. I have a special place in my heart for ECF. Back in 1997 I was the Regional Director for ECF and I know hands on how they work and service the families who have children stricken by Cancer. There is a lot of hard work that goes into the services provided by ECF. I am proud to be part of their lives again. My world came full circle when I was asked to be Chairperson to such an important service organization. I am forever grateful to have been part of The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation.

If your life has never been touched by childhood cancer, you cannot truly understand what the diagnosis does to an entire family. Sadly, The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation understands this very well. They go above and beyond to anticipate and meet the needs of the ill child but they do not stop there. They assist the entire family with whatever they need to help get them through this toll taking time; from food shopping, to delivering home made meals, to supplying backpack and school supplies and more. So much more! They are there for the entire length of the child's treatment and beyond.
The founders of ECF have truly accomplished their goal and have created a lasting and fitting tribute to their son, who sadly was taken too soon b]y this horrible disease.

I've been a volunteer and contributor for years and am now a Board member. ECF does a great job helping families in need and it's an honor to be associated with such a great organization.

My family and I have had the pleasure of volunteering with Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for the last 10 years. We have attended many events and helped and spoke to so many families that ECF has helped. We feel the message of family that ECF portrays in the work as well as the words spoken by the many that they help!! An organization that truly means what they stand for. The sole purpose is to help in any way possible, and support in every way possible these brave children and their amazing families. It is an honor to volunteer and work with so many wonderful people who truly make a difference !!!

Incredible support to families in providing counseling, concrete resources and financial assistance. Able to help families navigate the emotional challenges of a cancer diagnosis while providing guidance and advocacy for all those touched by this disease.

As an ECF social worker, I knew that counseling and ongoing emotional support could be beneficial for families battling pediatric cancer, but it wasn’t until my own child was diagnosed that I learned the gravity of such support. When your child has cancer, it can be an emotional rollercoaster. Managing feelings of fear, anxiety, loss of control, and anger (just to name a few) can be overwhelming and exhausting! This is where ECF comes in and it is at the heart of what we do. ECF tailors its services depending on the family’s needs. Some benefit from professional counseling for the child, the parent, the sibling, or all the above. Other families do well with regular support from their caseworker. ECF can also assist with advocacy, material and emergency financial needs too. The team at ECF sees to it that every family is supported in the way they need to be supported. It is really an honor to be a part of this team, serving our amazing kids and families!

I have been volunteering with Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for almost seven years. From delivering packages of supplies in order to help families deal with the burden brought on by the costs of cancer treatment, to assisting with Tricky Tray events so money can be raised for the organization, being a volunteer has been a very life enriching experience. The volunteers and the regional director that I have worked on behalf of, bring such kindness to the work that they do that one cannot help having their day brightened just to be in their presence. I would highly recommend that anybody wishing to do good and looking to volunteer, look no further than Emmanuel Cancer Foundation.

Amazing foundation supporting the family as a whole .

My only experience with ECF is as a holiday supporter. Each year Barbara sends me a wish list of holiday gifts for 2 children. It is a highlight of my holiday and helps to keep the real meaning of the holidays in my heart. It doesn't take much time and you could request 1 or more lists. I'm pretty sure it is at least as much fun for me as it is for the children.

I became aware of the work that ECF does through my local Lions Club as we have had speakers from that organization address the club. I started volunteering as a delivery=driver as this helps families with children who suffer from cancer to attempt to lead a somewhat normal existence. I have had speakers at our Lions District and Stata meetings to spread the word about this organization and the work they do by providing direct assistance to families, no governmental involvement.

My family and I have been volunteering as Holiday Wish Grantors for the past several years and we've also had the pleasure of helping out at the annual Holiday Party.

ECF is such a fun and welcoming place to volunteer.

I cannot say enough good things about Barbara Kopel, her staff, and the other volunteers who I've met and worked with over the years.

Mike B. - Scotch Plains, NJ

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation(ECF) is an amazing foundation and non profit helping families in need. ECF shows kindness, love and thoughtfulness in every delivery and every phone call. Inessa is the most kind and thoughtful director and goes above and beyond for the families. Im so glad i can be apart of someone so amazing.

A great organization we have supported for years and will continue to do so going forward!

The inspiration behind me becoming an ECF board member traces back to a family festival event that the foundation put on years ago. My wife had worked for the foundation as a caseworker, so I joined her for the event and befriended this high school aged boy in a wheelchair who through a basketball injury discovered he had bone cancer. I was struck by the mature way he handled his reality. We became fast friends, sharing the bond of loving sports. This connection, along with his sad, eventual passing are the reasons that I dedicate my time to ECF. This foundation acknowledges that it’s not just the child, but the entire household that is affected by pediatric cancer. From the financial support to the mental health benefits to various programs (pre-pandemic, we even held a silent disco party), ECF is able to provide meaningful assistance to families who struggle with pediatric cancer.

We have participated in ECF functions and fundraising for 20+ Years. The help they give to the families is priceless. Having made deliveries during the holidays, we have seen first hand how their help is truly appreciated by these families during the most troublesome times. Joanne and all at ECF due a remarkable job.

ECF as spent Decades helping families deal with issues during the worse time o their life. They are a valued service to help families.

i first got involved with ECF through a client of mine. I attended several events and i was struck by their mission. The help that they provide for families that have children with pediatric cancer is incredible. I sat in one of my first board meetings and the case workers attended the meeting and told stories of the families they were caring for. They told stories whereby they provided food, financial support, and emotional support to these families. They are truly angels on earth.

As the saying goes, "Things happen for a reason."

As luck would have it, 20 years ago I moved to Wall and met some wonderful new friends. A couple of those friends work for ECF, and after realizing the wonderful work the foundation does, my whole family started volunteering at their events. Fast forward years later and I now work for the foundation. I count my blessings every day and am so grateful that ECF is able to help so many incredible families all over the great Garden State.

Watching the volunteers, staff, caseworkers and Board all work together is nothing short of magical. Even during a pandemic we are able to keep our doors "open" and continue our mission of helping families for free.

Very supportive foundation that has helped us both on treatment and afterwards.

So thankful for ECF. Under the circumstances, we were blessed to become part of the ECF family. Making children special is ECF specialty. Not only was my Beatriz treated like a princess, ECF made sure that her siblings were also treated wonderfully. Super blessed to now have Mrs.Halperin in our lives. Thank you so much. God Bless

This is the best nonprofit. Emmanuel Cancer Foundation has been an amazing support my family. Thanks to them I haven't lost hope. They have been there for my family when noone else could. I want to thank them for their ongoing love and support.

I have worked with the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for over twenty years and have always been deeply impressed with how they go the extra mile to help the families they support. Since 2013, I have been working for them as a Caseworker and have found this opportunity to be very special and meaningful. I have met some exceptional people, both the families I serve as well as Emmanuel Cancer Foundation staff & volunteers, who make my work at this foundation extra meaningful. New Jersey is very luck to have the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation available for families who can use their services.

It was on June 14, 2016 were I was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 14. Most of my life from 2016 through 2019 I have spent it inside the hospital. On April 11, 2017 our house in North Brunswick was on fire and we were still inside the house so me and my family jumped out from a window on the second floor. My mom was the only one who got hurt bad. She broke her heel of her foot. After all of that we found a new home in South River where the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation has been donating food to our family. Finally, with the help of my team of doctors on September 27, 2019 I was told that I was officially cancer free.

I worked for ECF for 10 years back in the 90s, then remained a volunteer for many years, and am now back working for them since 2017. I LOVE ECF! Everything they do is looked at through the lens of "what is best for the child and the family". We are honored to help NJ families that have a child with cancer, and our small staff, many volunteers and dedicated board members all have the same goal - to make life easier for the families we serve, while they are going through the toughest battle of their lives. Any NJ family that has a child with cancer under age 18 can reach out to us for emotional, material and emergency financial help.

My family and I started volunteering with ECF many years ago, especially during the holiday season. We have seen first hand the smiles on the faces of not only the children, but the entire family. ECF has made a tremendous impact on not only the ones they help, but our family as well.

I am a Emmanuel Cancer Foundation Case manager/worker. I have been with ECF for 17 years. We have amazing Case worker's who through these years, have helped so many families that have a child, 18 and under (even two children at the same time) who have had the diagnosis of cancer. The families sometimes have even taken on this fight, not only with their child, but many times with a close member of the family, (mom/dad/grandparent) who happened to be also diagnosis-ed with cancer. There are families that find themselves fired from their jobs, because treatment with their child takes so much of their time. We have helped these families with groceries. Many times the families do not have food at home and emergency food is needed. ECF has also helped pay the families major bills to keep them in their homes, from having the lights/phones turned off. However, most of all we are a source of comfort and support to our families by providing in home counseling for all family member's. We know a diagnosis of cancer can upset any home dynamic, in so many ways. ECF is so proud to serve these families and do whatever is necessary, to help the children and their families make their cancer journey just a little easier.

It never seems to amaze me, even after being an employee of Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for over 12 years, how much help and aid we provide to hundreds of children and their families through their ordeal with pediatric cancer. All this aid, both financial, emotional, and material assistance is given free of charge. I am proud to be working with such a great organization as Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF).

Gloria Pocchio
Office Manager

In our family cultural experience 25 years ago the word “cancer “ was often not part of our vocabulary. It wasn’t until 1995 that we learned quickly and unexpectedly that our aunt Julia had leukemia and she passed away before we can even personally associate with the term “cancer”. Had we as a family been connected with the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (Ecf) a professional caseworker/social worker would had taken the time to explain the diagnosis and would had helped us as a family deal with the emotional roller coaster that occurs when a family is first told that a child has cancer. Ecf does this on a regular and consistent basis by guiding and supportIng the families through the process from diagnosis to the end of life challenges. As a “Spanish” speaking family from a isolated rural community it was very difficult for my grandparents to navigate the complexities of the health care and social services system had Ecf staff been involved my family could had received the most current information available to be able to make good health choices for the care of my aunt. When my aunt passed away, which is a passive way to describe death my grandparents were devastated and there were no services available for them. Had Ecf been involved my family would had received In-home supportive and emotional services that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Here I am 25 years later and as an older nephew I still reflect on the death of my aunt Julia. My children never got a chance to see her lovely and caring smile. Additionally, as a person who was also had an profound intellectual disability challenges what killed her was “cancer” not the seizures this is how my personal journey started. I am now accepting of the term “cancer” and now have three sisters who are also diagnosed so the reality is that many of the families we served still struggle with the impact of pediatric cancer the difference is that Ecf is here to help. I personally request that we all reflect on this profound 6 letter word and do our part to serve those impacted which is what many nonprofits like Ecf are doing with limited financial resources thank you.

The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is amazing, my friend and I have only been associated with them a short time. But since we became part of their family they have been amazing. They have been there for anything we need, for things like groceries and other things like that. But even more importantly, when ever you just need someone to talk to, there is always someone there to listen. That's what makes this foundation amazing!!!!

Hi, My name is Cindy and I work with The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation as a caseworker assisting families in northern NJ- I have been with them since 2018 and they are amazing! Great leadership, great communication, kindness and supportive to all families facing pediatric cancer and overall they are a wonderful team. I am so glad I found them. As a caseworker/team member I am glad to help our families and represent our team.
We are here for you!

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation has been a helpful resource during this difficult period. Their volunteers are compassionate and are full of resources and ideas to help your family and child.
Thank you for everything!

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation has helped my family in ways that I couldn’t even imagine ; from tires for our car so my husband could keep working and providing for our family, to always having our back for food specially in such difficult times with Covid-19 my social worker ? We look at her not like a social worker but like family because she’s always a phone call away Vianna and the foundation have became a huge part of our family. We wanna take the time to say how much we appreciate from the bottom of hearts everything that has been done for our family but mainly for my son King this foundation always lights up my sons life and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. Thank you so much Emmanuel Cancer Foundation you guys are amazing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I have worked for Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for over 10 years. I am very proud to be a part of this amazing foundation. We are able to help our families in so many ways.

My name is Toni and I am a single disabled mom of three beautiful girls. My daughter Megan was diagnosed at 3 yrs old with an inoperable brain tumor, seizure disorder, and she is legally blind due to nerve damage. I had reached out to The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for help a number of years ago. From the moment I reached out they have been by my side. They have helped many times With things like rent, utility bills, supplying gas cards and store cards to make my life easier. They never say I’m asking for too much but instead always say they will help if they are able. They throw parties and give us the opportunity to attend events that allow us the ability to STOP thinking about the illness and watch our warriors simply being kids and having fun. A chance to have some normalcy in an otherwise chaotic life full of dr visits, hospital stays and tests. ECF has been like a lifeline for my family. They are amazing loving supportive individuals with a beautiful mission that is dear to my heart. They have supported me and encouraged me during some of the most difficult times of this journey and I am truly thankful for everyone involved.

I have been a volunteer for the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for 4 years and feel extremely grateful that a friend of mine introduced me to ECF. The work that this foundation does is wonderful! The keystone of our mission is to provide in home counseling to the family unit throughout their journey of a son or daughter bravely battling cancer. Our staff and caseworkers are extremely dedicated, amazing individuals who help our families in countless ways. Through the generosity of our donors, volunteers, and staff, the assistance provided to families is uniquely tailored to their needs. ECF is a great organization that inspires me to help more, care more, and believe more. I am proud to be associated with ECF.

I was introduced to ECF several years ago and have grown to love everything about the organization. Every single person involved with ECF cares about the organization and what we do to help families in need. There are countless hours spent by staff members and volunteers raising money for the families in need. The case workers spend quality time with all the families and assist them with a love. They truly understand the needs of these families and help in any way they can. I am blessed to be a volunteer for this great organization.

I've been both contributing and volunteering with this organization for thirty years. The mission is unique...caseworkers see families of children stricken with cancer and offer psychological counsel to the family unit, and suggest as advocates where that family may go for other assistance-financial or medical. Additionally ECF provides food, toys, and other items via food drives and can help with paying some bills.
As a small organization, each volunteer can make a big difference in the lives of these kids and their families. One high school student's fundraising efforts at his school impacted perhaps a dozen families greatly, and those delivering supplies put smiles on the faces of these kids and their families. Whenever I see the courage and positivity of these ECF "kids" at fundraisers I know that we are doing good thing as volunteers, and I know that their positive energy makes me want to strive to be a better person.
Lastly, the paid staff-administrative and MSWs-are ALL in. They too share our volunteers' attitude. This is some organization...Mike Walsh

The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation is not just a great organization in terms of its mission and how much impact it has on the families it helps, but also an amazing place to work. I have been the Development Director there for more than 3 years. It is family friendly, everyone is incredibly hard working and dedicated and goes above and beyond what they are required to do. Everyone cares so much about the kids and families. No one is there just to do a job--including the staff, caseworkers, volunteers and the board of directors. We are all inspired by the bravery of the kids with cancer, the love of their families, and the generosity of the donors and volunteers who make all that we do possible.