For those who haven’t signed up to receive our newsletter or aren’t in our family of donors, you may have missed our 20202 Impact Report, so we wanted to share it here. Never before have we had to face so much loss, grief, and distancing collectively as a whole. Things felt hopeless at times, but you still showed up!
At the start of 2020, we were on track to have a record year of portrait sessions. By March, we had already served 11 families... and we all know what happened next.
Despite things closing, events being cancelled, and people sheltering in place, we found a way to stay safe and show up for 14 more families throughout the pandemic through December.
Families Served
Thanks to our generous community, the LNL photographers showed up for 25 families to spread love and healing into the days, months, and decades ahead.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We have said from the beginning that death doesn't discriminate and neither do we. There are no plans to change that. Our organization, from board members to staff to our photographer volunteers, show up to love everyone. Period.
We serve people of any age, any income range, any ethnicity, any gender, any sexual orientation, any religion, any disability. We are showing up for people with any terminal diagnosis facing death - a very human experience that deserves love, dignity, and empathy.
Our driving question that guides everything we do is, “How can we love people better?”
We believe love brings healing and eases suffering.
Last year, we were so focused on surviving and serving safely, we really didn’t share much on the blog, but we are planning to make up for it this year! The Moore family (pictured above) is one such family we served who is full of love, joy, and courage as they navigated life with DIPG. We are honored to be able to share their story and others like them with you on the blog in the coming months.
In addition to family stories, you’ll also see more videos from me, Ashley, sharing more pieces from my story, answering frequently asked questions, and casting the vision of what’s to come.
We’ll need your help to keep showing up for families to preserve the love they share before their loved ones are gone. Our next post will be about The Heartbeat - we invite you to join us!
Love Not Lost Has A BIG Year Ahead!
Although we didn't hit our financial goals in 2020, that was somewhat expected due to the pandemic. Despite unprecedented circumstances, givers still came together and supported Love Not Lost to allow us to show up and make last year happier and more hopeful for so many families. THANK YOU!
This year, we will need more support to grow and expand our capacity to serve. We are going to blow last year's numbers out of the water - here are just a few ways we're doing that:
We’ve already added 4 more photographers in February with more photographer retreats in the works. Know someone who wants to volunteer?
Our corporate care training 'Heart At Work' will be released this year
We are adding new board members! Do you know someone who’d like to join us? Contact us!
If you want to help us,
We are so grateful you're on this journey with us. Your gifts, support, encouragement, introductions, nominations, messages, and more truly make a difference. We have A TON of momentum building and it’s all very exciting!
Thank you for helping us revolutionize the way we heal in grief.
With love and gratitude,
Ashley
Founder, Executive Director