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1. The Gift of Time
5 , 1 2 6 , 4 2 0
precious minutes and counting given to
families over the last ten years.
10th Anniversary
Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
Contact:
Anne Swire
aswire@andreriveroflife.org
T: 240.994.4183

2. You can give the Gift of Time
to families across the country.
Find out more...

3. It was one womanʼs time with her son...
A new period marred the life of Valerie the day her teenage
son Andre was diagnosed with a malignant and inoperable
brain tumor. A year after, in 1995, the family suffered his
devastating loss. Shortly thereafter, Valerieʼs mother died,
and a year later to the day, her husband Erwin, 54, took his
own life. Through the subsequent months of crushing
grief, Valerie sought to redirect her life.
What has continued to haunt her was the witnessing of
children who were alone in hospitals: having to face their
fears, their pain, treatments, and, at times, even their
death alone. In most cases, these children were from
single parent/single caregiver homes. Upon reflecting on
her own experiences with her child, she found it hard to
imagine how brutal it must be for those in a similar
situation, without financial means or the support of
another caring partner.
This injustice was the motivation for establishing the
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation (ASRL). As if
surprised by a spiritual revelation, the vision of the
foundation and its purpose became clear to her.
“Experiencing the sudden onset of a life-threatening
illness of a child devastates every family,” she said. “But
for the single parent without financial resources, it is
inconceivable.”

4. that has given hope to so many others...
“I can tell you that our son Simon has benefited greatly. Without the
assistance you pledged and provided I would not have able to
spend the time that I have had with him, I would not be able to
speak on his behalf, and be the advocate as I have been for him,
you made all the difference.”
~ Danny Meyer
“We have come a long way…the Andre Sobel River of Life has
played a big part in keeping CJ and I together. So if we ever reached
the point where we have nothing left we will remember we have it all
and that is life with each other.”
~ Cassie Sargent
“If it wasnʼt for a foundation like yours, our family could easily
have been without a home.”
~ Joy J. Hunell
“I canʼt tell you what it means to our family to have received your support. The mortgage payment and
grocery money were a welcome breather and will go a long way in helping us scramble to our feet again
financially.”
~ William M. Torres

5. children braving their way through illness...
Alex Alia
Four year old Alia is now in hospice
If medals were given for trips to the care in the end stages of Acute
hospital, Alex would display a chest of
Myeloid Leukemia. Her parents want
shining brass. This thoughtful eight year only to comfort, love and be with her,
old has endured more than 10 surgeries to
and each has taken leave from work
tackle his congenital facial paralysis and to be at her bedside.
cardiac problems.
Aliaʼs Dad works in technical support and her Mom is a Navy
For his single Mom, being with Alex during his surgeries and airline mechanic for the U.S. military. But as Aliaʼs health
recovery was non-negotiable, so she scaled back her full-time declines, her familyʼs household and medical bills are mounting
work to care for him. But medical bills piled up quickly. So did fast, and Mom and Dad are struggling on their limited income to
household heating and rent bills and the added cost of gas for make ends meet.
the six hour trip to the hospital. And Alexʼs two other adopted
siblings also needed Momʼs attention.
Daniela & Andrew
Daniela and Andrewʼs beloved father died suddenly of a massive heart attack in 2005, leaving
their mom a widow, and the family struggling to cope with their tragic loss. Just as Mom had
begun to pull her life back together and had started training for a new job, thirteen-year-old
Daniela, a top ranked tennis player in her state, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. It
was Thanksgiving, 2008. Daniela has now lost much of her ability to speak or move, and as she is
losing her sight, her motherʼs constant loving care is non-negotiable.
When ASRL heard about Bernardineʼs superhuman efforts, we realized that she had come to the
end of her physical, financial and emotional resources. As Danielaʼs condition declined further,
the familyʼs finances grew more precarious, and the family risked losing their home – their one
refuge during this painful and uncertain time.

6. and parents being able to provide care.
The Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation lifted me high during one of the lowest times
in my life. My daughter being diagnosed with a rare incurable life threatening illness
was by far the worst day a mother could experience, but the financial devastation was
almost too much to bear.
One day during a particularly high stressful moment I came across the Andre Sobel
River of Life website. I called the number on the screen and the people on the other
side changed my life at that moment. Not only did I personally speak with Valerie
Sobel, but her entire staff listened when I cried and took action. It may not seem like
much to most, but when there's nothing anyone can do to change your child's
condition, there's someone there to help make life more bearable.
Not worrying about the rent for a couple of months or wondering if this is the day
they're coming to shut off the electric is a burden bigger than most can imagine and
the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation lifted that burden and allowed me to focus all
of my energy on my daughter and her care. Thank you so much to everyone at the
ASRL Foundation for making a difference in the world one family at a time!
Kimberly Boschi

7. You can give the Gift of Time
to families across the country.
Find out more...

8. Gift of Time Hospital Sponsor
$100,000 over four years
ASRL provides major grant support to top ranked pediatric hospitals around the country to implement
its “Gift of Time” family assistance program – providing “the gift of time” through urgent financial
support to single parent families of seriously ill children when all other resources are exhausted. Aid
is given within 24 hours of the request.
Sponsors may choose to fund an existing hospital partner or partners (each hospital costs p
$25,000/year) or propose a new affiliation with a pediatric hospital in the community of their r
choice.
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Hospital Sponsors have allowed ASRL to expand into Chicago through a partnership with
Memorial Childrenʼs Hospital and have sustained partnerships with:
•# Boston Childrenʼs Hospital
•# Morgan Stanley Childrenʼs Hospital, NYC
•# Childrenʼs Hospital of Philadelphia
•# The Childrenʼs Inn at the National Institutes of Health
•# Akron Childrenʼs Hospital
•# Texas Childrenʼs Hospital
•# Lucile Packard Childrenʼs Hospital at Stanford
•# Childrenʼs Hospital Los Angeles
•# Miller Childrenʼs Hospital, Long Beach
•# Ventura County Childrenʼs Hospital, CA
Your sponsorship is matched 1:1 by the hospital, doubling the impact of your giving.

9. Gift of Time Hospital Sponsor
$100,000 over four years
Hospital Sponsors will assist approximately 25 families at each hospital each year, and this impact
is doubled because each hospital is required to match ASRL program funds 1:1.
Benefits to Hospital Sponsors:
•# Opportunity for your company to name the hospital family assistance program p
r
•# Your company will be featured in a press release announcing its sponsorship to all ASRL media
contacts and to hospital media contacts as negotiated t
•# Your companyʼs sponsorship will be featured in an ASRL newsletter article and on the ASRL
website
•# Twice annual narrative report documenting the many ways “the gift of time” has been given to
families
•# Listing in ASRLʼs annual report
•# Invitations to special events, major donor recognition activities and receptions hosted by the
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
•# Other benefits as mutually agreed along with regular updates from the Foundation.
Hospital sponsorships are also offered at the $75K, 50K and 25K levels/year.

10. Gift of Time Family Assistance Sponsor
$20,000-$100,000+ per year
ASRL provides urgent financial assistance to over 500 families each year whose children are
seriously or terminally ill. By paying for rent, mortgages, utilities, transportation and other everyday
needs for these struggling families, ASRL gives parents “the gift of time” to be at the bedside of
their children, providing the child with the comfort, love and support they need.
Sponsors may elect to support families whose children have a particular disease or condition
(Cancer cases, Respiratory cases, heart cases, or hemophilia cases, for example) or may provide
p
general support to families whose children have any life-threatening diagnosis. r
Benefits to “Gift of Time” Family Assistance Sponsors:
t
•# Your company will be featured in a press release announcing its sponsorship to all ASRL media
contacts
•# Your companyʼs sponsorship will be featured in an ASRL online newsletter article and on the
ASRL website
•# Your company will receive an annual narrative report documenting the many ways “the gift of
time” has been given to families, along regular updates from the foundation
•# Your company will receive invitations to special events, major donor recognition activities and
receptions hosted by the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
•# Other benefits as mutually agreed along with regular updates from the Foundation.

11. Gift of Time Special Needs Sponsor
$5,000-$25,000 per year
Paying rent, mortgages, transportation costs to the hospital, groceries, cell phone and utility charges
and funding the special needs of siblings are the top ways that ASRL provides “the gift of time” to
struggling families.
GIFT OF TIME Housing Sponsorships
GIFT OF TIME Travel Sponsorships p
GIFT OF TIME Food and Groceries Sponsorships
GIFT OF TIME Keep in Touch Sponsorships r
GIFT OF TIME Keep Warm Sponsorships t
GIFT OF TIME Siblings are Special Sponsorships
At the $5,000 - $25,000 level, sponsors may chose to give the gift of time in any of the above categories,
knowing that your gift will give targeted support to financially desperate single parent families.
•# Your companyʼs sponsorship will be featured in an ASRL online newsletter article and on the ASRL
website
•# Your company will receive an annual narrative report documenting the specific ways that your “gift
of time” sponsorship – for housing, or travel, or sibling needs or the like -- has benefitted specific
families, along regular updates from the foundation
•# Your company will receive invitations to special events, major donor recognition activities and
receptions hosted by the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
•# Other benefits as mutually agreed

12. Gift of Time In-Kind Sponsor
ASRL welcomes inquiries from companies wishing to provide in-kind gifts to families of sick children
such as:
•# Airline mileage p
•# Gift, grocery and gas cards r
•# New laptop computers and game technology for children isolated by their illness t
•# Hotel and car rental vouchers
•# And other creative solutions that assist families needing access to their childʼs medical care
To inquire, please contact Courtney Kramer at 310-276-7111 or courtney@andreriveroflife.org.

13. Make the Gift of Time Timeless by Endowing
The Andre Sobel Family Assistance Program
$100,000 and up
Your companyʼs gift of $100,000 and up may be used to endow the
“Gift of Time” family assistance program within the Andre Sobel p
River of Life Foundation or at one of ASRLʼs partner hospitals r
around the country.
t
By endowing the program, and providing a perpetual stream of
income to fund urgent family needs, your company will make “the
gift of time” timeless – available now and for future families whose
children face catastrophic illness.
For more information, contact ASRL CEO Anne P. Swire at
310-276-7111 or aswire@andreriveroflife.org.

14. p
r
t
Andre Sobel
Award

15. Andre Sobel Award Sponsor
The André Sobel River of Life Foundation offers an annual essay contest for young survivors of
a catastrophic illness. The award is an integral part of foundation. Offered annually since the launch
of the foundation, the contest is now in its ninth year. The contest gives teen survivors the chance
to share their stories and thoughts, providing a cathartic outlet for themselves and allowing others
in their close circle to gain insight. It encourages the winners to pursue a cherished dream after
their illness, as Andre was not able to do.
Awards p
r
•# $5000 cash prize for first place winner t
o#Winners may use prize money in whatever manner they wish. Previous winners have used
money to begin an online forum for cancer survivors, to take a longed-for family trip and to
help pay for their college education.
•# Additional cash prizes to second and third place winners and three honorable mentions
•# Gift card and certificate of participation for all entrants
Participation
•# Approximately 150 entries per contest
•# Participants range in age from 12 to 21 years old with a majority of participants between 16 and
20 years old
•# Entries from all across the United States. The top six essays in 2008 came from six different
states: NC, TX, KS, MD, AZ, and CA .

16. Andre Sobel Award Sponsorship Opportunities
Award Sponsor: $25,000 Spanish Language Sponsor:
$25,000
o#Cash awards for 1st-3rd places and
honorable mentions
o#High profile marketing and outreach To cover cost of launching parallel Spanish
of Award featuring Award sponsor Language component and attracting 150 new
o#Winners event participants from Spanish-Speaking
community p
o#Special recognition and gift for
readers and judges r
o#Gift cards and recognition for all o#Cash awards for 1st- 3rd places and
honorable mentions t
participants
o#Gift cards and recognition for all
participants
o#Marketing and outreach in Spanish
Winners Event Sponsor: $10,000 o#Finding leaders in the Spanish
speaking community to serve as
o# To pay for all costs associated with a judges and readers
larger scale event to celebrate winners o#Special recognition and gift for
including transportation and lodging readers and judges
for winners
o#Opportunity to create a special event or Participants Sponsor: $2,500
experience for winners, such as a visit
to your company or shadowing o# Covers the cost of gift cards and
company executives certificate of participation given to all
entrants

17. The Gift of Time Campaign
will be running through the end of 2010.
Sponsorship materials are available at
http://www.andreriveroflife.org
or by contacting ASRL CEO Anne P. Swire
at 310-276-7111 or aswire@andreriveroflife.org.