Community-Powered Relief to Keep Families Together
What We Do
Our Mission
JRFS Foundation supports Chicagoland families facing late-stage cancer and immediate financial strain.
We put money directly into the hands of patients struggling to cover their basic needs like food, childcare, transportation, and housing so they can focus on providing care and spending time together when it matters the most.
Who We Are
Our Inspiration
The JRFS Foundation is a grassroots, 100% volunteer-run nonprofit created in memory of Jayme Rae Forker Schwartz, a wife, mother, and friend who dedicated her life and career to helping people in need.
Today, her family carries her legacy forward by doing the same.
Easing financial burdens so families can focus on what matters most: time together.
Grassroots by design, we work to bypass the red tape that slows down traditional philanthropic programs. Instead of waiting months, within a few days of receiving a recommendation, we deliver a check and stack of gift cards for groceries, ride shares, household goods, and even rent, straight into the hands of patients and their families.
This turnaround time is a critical component to our approach, because when it comes to terminal cancer diagnoses, time is of the essence and every moment matters.
Because we are a
100% volunteer-run organization, the money we raise goes to our mission—not overhead—so we can reach more families and provide more resources.
How We Do It
A First of Its Kind Partnership
Grant recipient referrals come through our exclusive partner: Northwestern Medicine.
"Immediate relief regarding financial assistance is virtually impossible, yet the JRFS Foundation allows grant recipients to receive their check in a short turn-around, allowing them to not have to wonder and have peace of mind of that financial stability."
Taylor Lenz (LSW, OSW-C), Oncology Social Worker, Northwestern MedicineFollow Us on Social
Contact Us
Interested in working together or donating to our efforts? Please fill out the contact form and we will be in touch shortly.
We can’t wait to hear from you!