LOVEY CARES
We are excited to announce the first project of the Lovey Cares charitable initiative, founded in honor of our daughter and sister Lavinia (Lovey) Gardner Frahm. We are raising funds to support the Ukrainian Children’s Storytime project, launched by Lifting Hands International in 2023 to provide a library of books, directed storytime, and activities for Ukrainian refugee children living in Moldova. Stories are read in the Ukrainian language by Ukrainian refugee facilitators who are trained and provided with a modest stipend for their efforts.
Here’s what you can do to support these kids! This weekend, April 28-29, Lovey's 13-year-old brother, Atticus, is pulling out all the stops to climb as many moderately advanced boulder problems (V4s and V5s) as he can in a 24-hour period. Last time Atticus did a climbing fundraiser, he successfully climbed 67 boulders in one day. He's gonna try his best to break his record!
You can make a fixed donation on this page or you can email him at atticuswfrahm@gmail.com to pledge a specific amount per climb—for example, 50 cents, $1, or $2 per climb.
And great news! Your donation will go twice as far this weekend! That’s because Lovey Cares commits to match all donations dollar for dollar up to the goal of $3,500. This amount will keep the storytime project running for 6 months.
LHI is putting 100% of donations made through this page directly toward the Ukrainian Children’s Storytime project, so you can rest assured your money will be well spent.
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UPDATE: Now we’re going for $5k+, which will help LHI expand the storytime project to a greater age-range of children. Thank you so much, everyone, for your support!
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Our little Lovey passed away just three days after her birth in October 2022. Reading stories together -- ABCs of Kindness, Press Here, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? -- was one of very few activities we were able to enjoy with Lovey.
Lovey's dad, Walker, has had a hands-on role in creating the storytime program, and even had a chance to visit in March 2023. Our hope for these sweet Ukrainian children who have been forced by a tragic war to leave their homes is that they will find some familiarity, comfort, connection, and laughter as they listen to stories and do activities in their native language.
We want to note that this project was also created in honor of VJ Smith, who passed away in January 2023. The loving mother of LHI founder and director, Hayley Smith, VJ had an abiding love for the children she taught during her career as an elementary school librarian. Storytime with the children was always one of her favorite activities.
With gratitude for your continued support,
Walker, Jennifer, and Atticus
Lovey and her family reading together in the NICU.
Walker visits the program in Chișinău, Moldova, in March 2023.