Help casandra raise money

This year I am participating in the Falmouth Road Race At Home Edition, and I’m running and raising funds for The Michael Lisnow Respite Center in Hopkinton, MA. Even though Adeline aged out of the Respite Center on her 3rd bday they are still a huge part of our lives. Adeline turned 3 October 26, 2021 but since pre school wasn’t ready for her till mid November Respite was awesome enough to let her keep coming till she began school. We even are going to be allowed to visit during Adeline’s summer vacation-I can just see the smiles on her face now!
Adeline began Respite before she turned 3 months old. I honestly at first was in desperate search of a place to care for my young child with a grocery list of medical needs while I was at work. All the time I see parents of typical children have a difficult time finding child care and I just think “if you only knew.” Complex kids are intimidating to a lot of people and the list of those you trust to take care of your child is pretty tiny as well.
From the minute we walked in the front door at Respite there really was a sense of comfort and little did i know that winter day in 2018 that it was one of the best places I’d ever step into. They knew exactly how to care for my complicated kiddo and I knew she was being ever so loved.
Sometimes while Adeline was at Respite I’d be at work, other times it was a trip to the super market, hair salon, appointments, house cleaning, out to lunch and even the occasional nap. I got to take time for me when Respite time wasn’t while I was at work and you can’t put a price on time.
I’d receive photos and videos during the time Adeline was at Respite of her smiling, working on motor skills, laughing and just having the time of her life. I even remember 1 day a girl dressed up as Belle and read books and sang to the kids. Another time the staff gave the babies a spa day. These babies are spoiled with so much love at Respite, I tend to think of it as Massachusetts’ own Disney World.
Not only has Adeline formed bonds and benefitted greatly from Respite, but I have gained lifelong friendships and confidants. I don’t know what I would do without the amazing people who have come into my life from Respite. Respite is exactly what I needed when I didn’t know what I was looking for. We understand eachother on a different level. We have laughed and cried with eachother, felt the triumphs when our children have checked off an “inch stone” and felt the ache in our stomachs when we have worried for each other’s families. We know what it’s like to see your tiny child fight for their life, we are in the club no one signed up for but we have each other’s backs-always.
If you’ve made it to the end of this, you listened to me ramble on about how great Respite is, well Respite is also a place that needs us too just as much as we need them. Respite is a not for profit who funds the vast majority of their operations from fundraising and donating. From the amazing runners and - let’s be honest “really fast power walkers” like me - I will be pushing a 35 lb child in a stroller cut me some slack haha.
But everything helps, $5, $15, $50 or $500.
I promise, there is no more deserving place or group of people I can think of.

Thank you in advance for donating/sharing the story and mission of Respite and of course listen to my love story about this AMAZING home in which there are no words good enough.

Xoxo♥️🙏☺️
Adeline, Casandra & Pat

P.S. Pat is running the race in Falmouth for the Respite Center while I do the at home so please also help me in friendly competition to raise more money than Pat!

I can’t figure out how to get my photo to stay correct. It wasn’t intentional 🤷🏻‍♀️