Thank You, Donors!
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, nearly a million dollars was raised to change the lives of people with disabilities. Kessler Foundation’s research helped more people walk again after paralyzing injuries, improved memory of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and developed new ways to facilitate recovery from stroke. In 2013 alone, the Foundation provided funding that led to 415 people with disabilities finding employment for the first time. Here are some highlights of the Foundation’s signature annual event and some outstanding individuals and organizations that contributed to the year’s success:
Russell Carson, co-founder of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe and head of the Carson Family Charitable Trust, generously pledged $250,000 in unrestricted support to Kessler Foundation. A portion of the gift funded the purchase of a second Ekso device, which our researchers are studying in people who have had a stroke within the past year (click here for more information). "Thanks to Mr. Carson's generosity, we can expand our research to improve the health and mobility of people with disabilities," said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. "Better function means greater independence in the community."
Mr. Carson is also a member of the Board of Directors of Select Medical Corporation, the parent company of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. He was inspired to make this gift in honor of Select Medical’s executive chairman, Rocco Ortenzio, and chief executive officer, Bob Ortenzio, after touring Kessler Foundation’s research facilities and Neuroimaging Center.
Kessler Foundation’s 12th Annual Stroll ‘N Roll set a record-breaking year. More than 460 guests, not including canine guests, strolled or rolled around the lake at Verona Park and enjoyed carnival games, face painting, balloon art, delicious food, and other surprises. Alex Munoz, a young man with spinal cord injury, walked a lap around the park in our Ekso—a robotic, battery-powered exoskeleton that enables individuals in wheelchairs to stand and walk. Scott Chesney and Kevin Greene, who have benefitted personally from the Foundation’s research and employment funding, served as the day’s ambassadors.
Special guests included Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey Maggie Redden, Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey (D-27), Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin (D-34), Montclair Mayor Robert D. Jackson, and the North Jersey Navigators—an adaptive sports team for junior athletes with disabilities supported by Kessler Foundation. A DJ group from Pathways for Exceptional Children, a career mentorship program for young people with disabilities funded, in part, by Kessler Foundation, provided the music. With the more than $105,000 raised at Stroll ‘N Roll, more people with disabilities will be helped to improve their function and independence to live healthier, fulfilling lives.
Having served on nearly every Board committee, she is the ideal Chair. Always offering a smile and kind words of appreciation to employees of the Foundation, she encourages them to continue their great work in disability research and employment. Ms. Lowenstein, along with the entire Board, is committed to providing Kessler Foundation with the equipment and resources needed to advance its research and grant programs. Also contributing to the success of the Foundation’s special events, she and her husband, David Lowenstein, generously served as Major Sponsors of the 2013 Stroll ‘N Roll. “I’m very proud of my association with Kessler Foundation,” explained Ms. Lowenstein. “With the staff and fellow Board members, we search for new ways to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Our translational research is reaching patients’ bedsides. Through our grant-making program, organizations are providing training and employment programs that get people back to work as soon as possible. Together, we have the opportunity to make a difference in the world and advance the lives of people with disabilities.”
Thank you, Ms. Lowenstein, for your dedication and support. Kessler Foundation looks forward to your continued leadership.
Liz Lowenstein has been a dedicated member of the Kessler family since 1992 and currently serves as Chair of Kessler Foundation’s Board of Trustees. With a background in vocational rehabilitation counseling, she served as director of Vocational Services at Kessler Institute. She saw firsthand the struggles that people with disabilities encountered when trying to find opportunities for employment. She also observed how effective rehabilitation improves a person’s function to better prepare him or her for life in the community. Ms. Lowenstein continues to fulfill her desire to help others by serving the Foundation. “After years of commitment to the disability community, provided by my Kessler experience, I was delighted to accept a board position that would enable me to continue this involvement,” she exclaimed. “It was a perfect fit!”
In 2013, Gibbons pledged its support as the Lead Sponsor of Stroll ‘N Roll. Gibbons—a leading law firm in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and Delaware that’s ranked among the top 200 firms in the United States by The American Lawyer—has been Kessler Foundation’s legal counsel for nearly 18 years. It is in the top 50 firms for working women and in the top 100 firms for diversity nationwide.
Kessler Foundation appreciates each and every donor. Every dollar contributes to improving independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities. The person who takes his first steps in our Ekso research program not only advances his own recovery, but contributes to the scientific knowledge base that will benefit many, many others with paralysis. The person who, through our memory research, regains cognitive function and is able to stay on the job, sets an example for what can be accomplished for people with MS and TBI. Every dollar raised directly supports our rehabilitation research and the funding of disability employment initiatives at Kessler Foundation. Kessler Foundation looks forward to even greater progress, with new milestones to achieve for years to come.
“Gibbons is committed to an inclusive workforce where everyone, regardless of gender, race, and disability, has equal opportunities,” said Patrick C. Dunican, Jr., Chairman and Managing Director. “We understand that a diverse workforce leads to creativity and better problem-solving. Gibbons’ mission reinforces our commitment to Kessler Foundation’s mission to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the nation.”
Gibbons’ generous support of Kessler Foundation’s events helps make them a huge success. Thank you, Gibbons, for your commitment to people with disabilities.
"I'm greatly impressed by Kessler Foundation's rehabilitation research, having witnessed how it is life-changing for people with disabilities," said Mr. Carson. "The Foundation's close relationship with Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation enables innovative treatments to be brought directly to the bedside. Research outcomes of the Foundation result in true functional benefits, that enable individuals to begin improving their independence today and for years to come."
Thank you, Mr. Carson and the Carson Family Charitable Trust, for your generous support. Because of you, more people with paralysis and stroke will take their first steps.
