Save the Kid Fund Inc

I am a special education teacher in Naples, Florida. I worked directly with Jack Johannemann, a Save the Kid board member, and he was absolutely wonderful! He visited our classroom, talked about the work his organization does, and discussed a potential candidate for an adaptive bike. After receiving approval from the board, he purchased and presented the bike to an amazing student in my class. The family is beyond grateful for the work that this generous organization performs. Thank you to Jack and the rest of the board members!

I am a physical therapist who works with children with disabilities. These children often cannot ride a typical bicycle. The adapted bikes that they need are costly and typically not covered by insurance. I have approached Save the Kid Fund, Inc about obtaining a bike for several of the children that I see, and they have never turned a child and family down. The organization has been a pleasure to work with both personally as a therapist and from all the feedback I get from the families. The process for referring a child and family and obtaining their bike has always been an easy one. The organization is doing great work to help kids be more active participants with their families and friends.

Recently on 3/3/2017 Emma Rose and Benjamin were given incredible new bikes form Save The Kid Foundation. Jack Johannemann was there in Fort Myers, Florida along with Jim Castle of Grampy's Charities to meet Emma and Ben. Both Emma and Ben have special needs. Emma was born in the state of Oregon, USA. She was born with out legs and abandoned by her parents. Ed and Anne Ravish adopted Emma when she was four days old. She is now seventeen. Ben, is from India and was rescued and adopted by Ed and Anne. Ben had a bout with polio and is paralyzed from the knees down. The anticipation to receive these gorgeous bikes was rather overwhelming. Emma and Ben have been rejuvenated and are very, very thankful for such thoughtfulness and generosity. It is an incredible gift to both of them!

Thank you to Frank and the board at Save the Kid for the amazing job you do each and every day. The kindness and amount of care shown from the initial conversation with Frank, to the exchange of information needed to get the process started; along with the in home modifications during final delivery was a testament to how much this organization goes above and beyond to help special needs kids achieve independence. Providing a much needed service to a great community ... job well done!

Frank from Save the Kid Fund called saying we had been approved for an adaptive bike for our two year old. We were blown away at how quick they moved to get us a bike. Frank worked with us to find a mutually beneficial time to come to the house to bring the bike and fit it according to our son's height. The process was smooth, quick and highly professional. Save the Kid really cares

We really love the bike's you've been able to provide to our daughter. She recently received her 2nd bike and he face just lit up when she saw it. She was so happy to ride it around and show all of her friends in the neighborhood. The bikes have made it so she's able to ride along with her sisters and friends. Great job! Great organization!.

Their bike give away program is exceptional. It makes a lot of kids and family very happy.

Our son was born with cerebral palsy due to a stroke. We were told at 3 months old that due to the stroke we should prepair for him to never walk, talk, and would have almost no fine motor skills. That was not a diagnosis we were willing to settle for, so from the age of 3 months through his teen years he spent week after week in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. He spent many hours working with the school and therapists and 18 years later our son is attending high school and has a wall of accomplishments ranging from pee wee football to bowling to tractor pulling and now high school lacrosse. He refuses to say he can't but rather says He can, just give him time to figure it out. The one activity our family has never been able to attempt is a simple bike ride. A custom bike for our son was always out of our reach. We were never able to give him the custom bike he would need to accomplish this dream. A few days ago that dream came true for our son Woodie with the help and generosity of Save the Kid Fund. Now our family is planning another great adventure. Woodie is extremely excited and eager to see where he will be able to go now. Our deepest thanks to all the heroes at Save the Kid Fund. This gift will be treasured for years to come by our entire family.

Tracey and Matt Tedone

our daughter Alyssa is 6 years old and she suffers from seizures and other challenges. in 2015 she began to show interest after physical therapist put her on a safe bike. Week after week she signed to the therapist that she wanted more biking. Therapist told us about Save The Kids and we called them right away. to our surprise after completing required documents Alyssa was able to get a bike by Christmas. it was the best gift ever. snow had melted and she sat on bikevand we went for a ride. this has improved in many different levels of her life: mentally . physically, socially, confidence. she rides longer than she can walk do to some of her challenges but she loves it.

The freedom to be part of society and to enjoy bike riding with a customize safe bike is priceless. Thank you Frank and Karen for helping our daughter be part of society. what we want is for every child to feel as good as Alyssa feelstill when server rides her bike.

your event today at Mystic was a success. I plan on donation to your cause. thank you

I have an eleven year old special needs child who does not walk or talk. He is very aware of his surroundings and always gets excited to see bicycles on tv or at the store. This organization went above and beyond to help his wish of being able to ride one come true. He gets the biggest smile and laughs so much every time we go for a bike ride. Not only did this organization help Ryan achieve his goal, they embraced our family and gave us and opportunity to have many quality, bonding times with our son!

I am an employee at a public middle school in Rhode Island. We had four students who were in need of basic necessities. With the help of Save the Kid the families received winter clothing and household items. I contacted Save the Kid just before Christmas 2015, and they responded swiftly and were able to help within days of my request. The families were extremely grateful and I was in awe of Save the Kid. Michael was outstanding and went above and beyond to help. Thank you Save the Kid!

This remarkable group of caring souls has helped my family immensely. My 8 yr old son was diagnosed with brain cancer last year at this time, and at that point, I had to leave 3 jobs to care for him. Now, a year later, with my son thankfully in remission, I'm struggling to get back to work and pay my way. Save the Kid Fund has been incredibly generous in helping us with travel expenses for my son's appointments. In addition, we have been so very fortunate to have assistance with groceries as well. I am forever grateful to these amazing folks who lend their time and devotion to those who have fallen on hard times. Their actions have allowed me to focus more on my kids, and reduced my daily worries greatly. We are lucky to know such wonderful people, who have come into our lives and will forever be in our hearts.

I learned of this non-profit through their passion for helping children smile. My nephew, Raymond, received a bike last week - and he has not stopped smiling. I had never heard of this non-profit until that time. My niece explained to me the expense of the bikes and that they would have never been able to afford one. "Grampy's" made that happen and making it even better - that is the name all of the grandchildren in our family called my Dad. I want to sincerely thank all involved for my nephew's happiness brought about by their passion and generosity. Words will not adequately express our gratitude!

Bryon received his second special needs bike on Saturday from Save The Kid Fund Inc., and he was so excited to be able to ride again!
He received his first bike from this organization at age 3, after diagnosis with a brain tumor and a series of devastating surgeries rendered him partially paralyzed and unable to walk or talk. This bike served him well - providing an opportunity to exercise in the fresh air and just be a kid - for many years, until finally he outgrew it. Save The Kid Fund recognized immediately the valuable impact this equipment had on the quality of Bryon's life, and came forward once again to provide him with a larger bike, better suited to Bryon's deteriorating core strength and flexibility. They also were able to find a new home for his beloved first bike, where another little kid will doubtless find much pleasure in it.
This group offers families like ours the opportunity to offer our children special recreational equipment that insurance does not consider necessary, and which is often prohibitively priced beyond the practical means of a family struggling with healthcare and hospital transportation costs. They enrich the lives of children with their kind generosity and foresight and we are so grateful for their hard work and dedication.
Thank you, Bryon's Mom

My daughter Bella received a PINK! Tri-Vel T350 with the help of Save The Kid and GoFundMe! Frank, his amazing team, and most of the donors came together on September 6th to present her with this wonderful gift that she has been riding almost everyday since. The freedom she enjoys and the smile on her face makes me thankful for this team, all the donors and Bike-on!

My 15yr old daughter Kailee received her 3rd bike from Save the Kid Fund this past month. She outgrew her bikes over the years and this amazing program provided her with a brand new bike each time. I can't rave enough about what joy this program has brought my daughter. The freedom for her to ride independently when she struggles on day to day activities from her cerebral palsy is truly a blessing. Her smile when she's riding says it all.

Thank you so much Save the Kid Fund!!!

SavetheKid recently donated a low-rider to my 9 year old nephew Luke who has autism. Luke has had difficulties with balance and riding a bike. The low-rider was the perfect fit for him to enjoy a bike ride without stress. It was so amazing to see him ride! I was introduced to SavetheKid in our company's cafeteria during a United Way campaign. The members of SavetheKid were friendly and very open to hearing the story of my nephew. Initially I was inquiring about whether or not SavetheKid would modify his bike with adult sized training wheels, but they took a step further...a HUGE step further. Luke received his bike in April 2015, which is also Autism Awareness Month. We are so very grateful to SavetheKid and Frank Matovic for selecting Luke and giving him the freedom to ride a bike!!

My son received a wonderful AmTryke bike provided by Save the Kid Fund, Inc. Frank is the kind of man that thoroughly loves his job - this is his calling. When my son's bike arrived, he personally delivered it with his lovely wife to my home. We talked for a while and he was able to meet my son and take pictures of him riding his new bike. Frank took the time to explain all of the aspects of the bike to me and how to make any adjustments. A helmet was also provided. My son is not able to ride a traditional bike. The AmTryke bike that was provided to him through Save the Kid Fund will allow him to enjoy riding without worry. My husband and I are looking forward to enjoying the spring and summer outside with our son while he enjoys a great bike ride. I hope that Save the Kid Fund will be around forever doing such good deeds for others.

My daughter Lauren has Down's syndrome and is a below knee amputee. She lost her leg at 13 months old. She can walk with a prosthesis but has gait issues. I was hoping to get her a bike to help with bending the knee and her walking. I heard about the bikes and than Frank and his crew heard about Lauren. I can not thank them enough. She was so excited when she saw the bike and even more so that she could ride it. She could not peddle a typical 2 wheel with trainers. She is going to ride with the special Olympics thanks to "Save the kid". Save the Kid is a great organization filling a need that physically, emotionally and socially is important for those kids. Thank you so much.

We have a daughter, Trisha Paradis, who is both physically and mentally challenged. Our experience with Save the Kid and Frank Matovic in particular was wonderful.

Trisha has been participating in Special Olympics for the past 4 years. During cycling we had to borrow a trike from another participant as we could not afford to purchase a tricycle for Trisha. The one she borrowed was difficult for her to maneuver and too big for her. Although the owner of the borrowed trike was kind enough to offer to let us take it home, we could not. It did not come apart so did not fit in either of our cars.

Last year Trisha was invited to participate in the AmTrak bike day that took place in July. Attending the bike day event was very beneficial to Trisha. She was put on an AmBucs wish list and we were trying to raise the funds when we received a call letting us know that Save the Kid wanted to purchase a trike for her. When I called Frank, he set up a time within a couple of weeks to deliver the trike. Not only did he deliver it, he assembled it and spent time showing us how to adjust it for Trisha's size and how to take it apart for transporting it. Frank was also kind enough to show Trisha how to operate the trike. Frank is a very kind hearted man and made it possible for Trisha to experience riding outside of Special Olympics and school. Words can not express our gratitude for this wonderful gift.

Warmest Regards,

Dave and Karen Paradis

My grandson Kyle has faced many challenges in his life, many more than most of us will ever encounter. He has a developmental delay that prevents him from participating in most sporting activities typical peers enjoy. A few years ago he became involved with Oxford Special Olympics and joined their cycling team.

Kyle has very poor balance and upper body strength and this has prohibited him from riding a scooter or two wheel bike and skating for fear of him being injured in a fall. He also has a bleeding disorder so a fall or internal injury of any kind can be very significant.

He rode a tricycle in competition. Although he loved to race he was worried about driving too fast on bumpy or uneven pavement or taking corners because his trike would tend to tip to one side. Last year in competition he took a nasty fall rounding a curve near the end of his race. According to the rules, he could not be assisted unless he was badly injured so we watched him sitting on the track trying to compose himself and finish the race. After what seemed a long time, he stood up and limped to his trike. He mounted the seat and finished the race slowly because his handlebars had been twisted in the fall.

Kyle surely represented the Olympic Oath, "Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt" He had bruises on his knee, elbow and hip but luckily there was not much bleeding. As he limped off of the track he said to me "Grammy can we fix my bike so I can race again!" Fortunately his races were over but he was so disappointed that he did not finish the race in time to win a medal.

Last summer the Parent Association at ACES Village School held an AM Tryke bike fair. Frank Matovic and his partner in Save the Kid visited the fair and committed to find funding to purchases bikes for some of the children.

One of he bikes on display was a recumbent recreation cycle. The low to the ground frame and joystick steering was exactly what Kyle needed to provide stability and support his upper body and arms when steering. When he tested the bike he said " Grammy, I'm not afraid I'm gonna fall of this bike!"

Kyle was placed on the AM Tryke wish list and we were so grateful to hear that Frank's organization had taken Kyle off of the wish list. Words cannot describe the joy and happiness Kyle displayed when Frank pulled up in front of the house with his new bike!

Cycling practice begins in just a few weeks and Kyle is so anxious to begin using his new bike this year. He has been enjoying learning to feel comfortable on his bike and practicing steering and slowing down in anticipation of his competition in June.

Thanks to the generosity of Save the Kid, 15 children who participated in the bike fair have received bikes or tricycles. We are so grateful for Frank's support. His love for the children and for the work that he does is so obvious! I told him he was like Santa Claus to all of us who were lucky enough to be blessed with being a recipient.

I hope I have been able to express what an impact Save the Kid has had on my grandson and our family.

This organization truly is a blessing to so many parents in need including myself. My 11 year old son who is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy was one of the many children granted a bike from this organization. They didn't only give him a bike. They gave him the opportunity for growth socially and physically! Any parent of a child with CP can tell you constant movement is so very important.
It was hand delivered by Frank, a board member of Save the Kids. He is kind, sincere and truly enjoys seeing these children smile.

Hello, my name is Ann Deloughery,mom of Tyler Deloughery. Tyler received his ambucs bike the end of September 2014. When I received the call from Trudy from Aces Village PTO to inform me that Tyler will be gettiing is bike paid for by Save the kid Fund inc i was so happy!!!Also felt very grateful that there are
wonderful and kind people out there to help us let our son have a kinda normal life by be able to ride
this bike! I also spoke and met Frank Matovich,,who delivered Tyler's bike right to our home. He is a great person, and has a BIG heart!

I thiink it is great that this organization is there for children with disabilities,,and able to give them great
chances at life to enjoy riding their bike , and feeling free!!!!

My 10 year old son who has low muscle tone received the bike last fall 2014 through Save The Kids fund. I am so deeply touched by the generosity of SaveThe Kid FUnd who not only donated the bike but also came all the way to our home to deliver it and assembled it for us. Frank was very generous and showed us all the features of the bike and very pateint. Frank wanted a picture of him with the bike but Unfortunately my son was in no mood to ride the bike that day but more interested in his truck :)
I really appreciate all the kindness that this organization has shown.

We had been looking to acquire an AmTryke bike for our daughter for our daughter for several years. She has significant disabilities and the movement and exercise of the bike are perfect for her. We were put in touch with the Save the Kid Fund through her school and lucky enough to be chosen to receive a bike.

Not only were we given the bike, it was built, configured and delivered in person. The bike has been a huge asset for our daughter (we can't wait for the snow to go away so that she can use it again) and we are extremely grateful to Save the Kid for all the work that they do.

Hello,

My son Harrison has Cerebral Palsy and a rare genetic disorder that has made him have very low muscle tone. A brand new, cherry red tricycle was donated to him through this amazing group. We can't thank Trudy Lasky and Frank Matovic enough for their tireless work in making this happen.

You guys are incredible!

Sincerely,

Wayne & Jackie Camarro

P. S. Harry loves his new bike!

Save The Kid Fund began in 1987 to provide assistance to children less fortunate than our own. We have given in excess of $800,000 to children with less than 2% in expences. STK is an all volunteer organization with a service area of Connecticut and Rhode Island. The STK Freedom Program provides special bicycles to children who would otherwise be limited in childhood activities. This program provides life changing experiences for the kids.