2026 Beneficiaries
John Gabrielsen
John is married to Jessica, and together they are raising their two children—Mikayla, age 7 attending Edison Elementary, and Owen, age 4 attending Madison Early Childhood Education Center. John is also the primary caretaker for his legally blind, diabetic mother.
Recently, John’s kidneys failed due to severe high blood pressure, and he is now in urgent need of a kidney transplant. He is on the transplant list at Loyola Hospital and must undergo dialysis three times a week, four hours each session, just to stay alive.
Because of his condition, John is no longer able to work or provide for his family. Although he receives disability benefits, the amount is not enough to cover their basic living expenses. When he became unable to work, he also lost his insurance coverage, resulting in significant medical debt.
The family continues to face daily challenges with only one car while juggling Jessica’s work schedule, the children’s school needs, caring for John’s mother, and attending numerous medical appointments. Their condo is in need of repairs, their daughter requires dental treatment, and they are struggling to afford the insurance coverage John desperately needs.
This family is doing everything they can to stay afloat, but they cannot do it alone. They would be deeply grateful for any assistance or donations to help them through this difficult time.
Krystal Klimek
Krystal is a single mother to 10-year-old Livi, a student at Jefferson Elementary. Their lives changed forever in December 2017 when Krystal unexpectedly lost her partner—and Livi lost her father—to heart failure. Only five months later, Livi was diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Sensory and Auditory Processing Disorders, a mild form of Cerebral Palsy, and Femoral Anteversion. During this difficult time, Krystal and Livi moved in with Krystal’s disabled grandmother for support.
In December 2024, Krystal received another devastating blow: she was diagnosed with Stage 2A, Grade 3, Highly Invasive Ductal Carcinoma—Triple Negative Breast Cancer. A port was placed, and she began chemotherapy in January. When her first port failed, it had to be replaced in February. Then, on March 8th, Krystal’s grandmother passed away. Just weeks later, in April, Krystal was hospitalized for over a week with a dangerous staph infection that had entered her bloodstream. While in the hospital, she learned that their landlord is selling the home, giving them only 60 days to find somewhere new to live.
Before her diagnosis, Krystal worked part-time while Livi was in school, balancing caregiving for both her grandmother and her daughter. Her job required working in a cold cooler and lifting heavy cases—tasks she can no longer do while undergoing cancer treatment. She applied for Social Security benefits in February, but the average decision time in Illinois is around 250 days.
Krystal is doing everything she can to keep life as stable as possible for Livi. She hopes to keep her daughter in the same school district, which is one of the best in Illinois for supporting autistic children. But most urgently, Krystal needs help securing stable housing while she continues chemotherapy and fights for her life.
She is facing more than anyone should face alone. Any support during this unimaginable time would mean the world to this family.
, resulting in significant medical debt.