Building community for chronically ill children and their families,
to enable transformation from surviving to thriving -- until cures are found. 
Greetings!

Earlier this month, Americans gathered to celebrate 4th of July. For most, the holiday is marked with BBQs, parades, concerts, and fireworks. 

But for many of our brave Bounce families, this day of celebration can feel isolating and remind them of their differences.  To provide families with their own 4th of July 'fireworks', Bounce designed, developed and delivered a 4th of July Bounce Back Kit™ to encourage a sense of inclusion, fun, and togetherness.  Special thanks to the team at YJT Solutions for their packing assistance!
We also welcomed Nijole Vileikis as our new part-time Operations Coordinator. Nijole has operations and program experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. She excels in problem solving, organization, attention to detail, database management, back office operations and customer service. Equally important, she is passionate about our mission.

Even after supporting chronically ill children, and their families, for almost seven years, I am still amazed at their bravery.  Not a day goes by when I'm not reminded of how their strength, optimism and perseverance creates real 'fireworks'!  

Thanks for joining me in saluting our bold Bounce families!

Joan M. Steltmann
Chief  Executive Officer 
 4th of July  Bounce Back Kits ™ 
 perfectly timed for a week long celebration! 
Care packages filled with USA-themed puzzles, arts & crafts, snacks, and temporary tattoos, for the extremely brave Bounce children - and their equally brave families - to celebrate July 4th!

Soundbites from Bounce Parents:

  • "The 4th of July kit made me feel like my kids could enjoy the holiday in ways we all want:  Crafts, Decorations, Music-- all the things I'd LOVE to organize for my family, but do not have the time to do."                                                    - Bounce Mom


  • "Our bounce child, Daniel, feels so special and cared for - and it helps him feel like his condition is bringing something special to the family, instead of just something stressful. Our children all get excited when he opens the box!                                                                                                           - Bounce Mom

  • "We are touched that anybody would care to do what Bounce did, with the sole objective of including us in the holiday and giving us a well-needed and well-received distraction from our busy, crazy (intended affectionately) life. THANK YOU!"                                             - Bounce Mom


A Red, White & Blue Thank You to:

  • The volunteer team at YJT Solutions in Chicago for packing Bounce Back Kits™
  • ULINE for donating boxes which became the actual kits and the bubble wrap to protect all the treats
It's a Great Time to Bounce It Forward™  
Bounce families can't plan 6 months in advance to purchase tickets for high demand events - but, with your help, they don't have to be left out! 

Individuals/organizations can ‘pay it forward’ by donating extra tickets to sporting, theatre and other events. Tickets p rovide unexpected moments of fun & restore spirits. 

Bounce Families: Check BounceNet™ often for tickets! 


Bounce Friends: To donate tickets, please email [email protected].  We'll take care of the rest and ensure you receive a thank you note & photos after the event!
Resource for Bounce Families: Icin g Smiles
~ "baking" a difference one cake at a time ~
Have a birthday or special occasion approaching?

  • Icing Smiles is a non-profit organization that bakes cakes for families with chronically ill children at no cost 
  • Each cake is custom baked by a team of volunteers to create a positive memories during hard times  


Click here to order one of these delicious cakes!
Bounce In Motion

 "I don’t want my kids to say ‘my dad was partner at an accounting firm'. I want them to say 'my dad was Chair of Bounce.’"  

- Corey Martens, Chair, Bounce Board of Directors 

 A Boost from Bounce...
                                  ...designed to inspire smiles and foster resilience:  

"Freedom lies in being bold."    ~ Robert Frost
From simply surviving to truly thriving - until cures are found!