Pierce Family Foundation Friends & Family,
I obtained a BA of accounting from Northern Illinois University, an MBA from Benedictine University and passed the CPA examination. I work at Advocate Health, the third largest healthcare system in the United States, for the last 35 years with the responsibility of Decision Support (cost accounting) for 27 hospitals and 3600 physicians across Illinois and Wisconsin while managing a staff of 11. I’ve known family members of the Pierce family for over forty years (and for some perverted reason I stick around). I was asked to help with finance for the Pierce Family Foundation (PFF) well before it became a 501c3 recognized organization and I’ve been a board member and treasurer ever since; I believe it’s been 14 years now. Knowing that I work for a company that saves lives is gratifying, but it was with PFF that I discovered the definition of value and purpose.
There are challenges tracking revenue and expense for events hosted by PFF and abiding state and federal filing requirements. Fortunately, I have the pleasure to work with many great volunteers (no one gets paid at PFF) and Board of Directors of PFF and together we overcome all obstacles.
I received and accepted an invitation to visit Camp One Step, the primary recipient of the annual donations of PFF. Seeing a child that must face the challenge of a life-threatening disease at such a young age makes all other life challenges seem insignificant. Having one of those kids with a bald head, a stranger, come up to you, give you a hug of thanks for donating to Camp One Step really hits the heart. It will forever be in my memory. That’s when I discovered value and purpose. You may not have been to Camp One Step, but everyone that donates and participates in the events throughout the year are members of the PFF family and I want to thank you for your support. You are valued and you truly have purpose. You make it possible to provide a week for the kids and their family to have fun. It really makes you aware of why we do what we do at PFF, hopefully a meaningful difference to the one that gave me a hug (and hundreds of others we’ve funded over the years).
Thank you,
Jay
Jay Riggio
Executive Board Member
The Pierce Family Foundation