In honor of Marisa Federico, Marisa’s Mission provides financial support to individuals and families in Massachusetts who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis. Stop & Shop has supported this nonprofit organization through its Community Bag Program.
Tell us about Marisa’s Mission.
Marisa’s Mission started in 2017 after my sister, Marisa, passed away from breast cancer at the age of 37. Her goal was to help people going through the same experience, so we started this organization in her honor.
At Marisa’s Mission, we financially assist patients and families in Massachusetts who are struggling due to their cancer diagnosis. We grant assistance in four categories: home assistance, care assistance, lodging and travel assistance, and special events or trip assistance.
Home assistance tends to be our biggest request category. A lot of people need help catching up with their mortgage or rent because they can’t work as much while they’re sick and going through treatment.
The travel and lodging assistance helps people stay closer to the hospital where they are being treated. This way, they do not need to travel hundreds of miles to get to their appointment in Boston.
Finally, if somebody wants to take a last meaningful trip with their family, we will grant that. We will also pay for alternative healthcare, various therapies, and wigs. Basically, we cover anything to ease the financial stress of a cancer diagnosis.
What sets Marisa’s Mission apart from other nonprofits?
We do a great job at giving out larger grants. We try to make an impact that allows the patient to have stability while going through treatment. It’s not just a $500 award. Instead, we give $5,000 to $8,000 to each patient. For example, we make sure to pay up to six months of rent or four months of a mortgage. This way, patients have financial stability and are able to focus on their health and their families. We make sure they don’t need to worry about all of the outside circumstances.
We try to make an impact that allows the patient to have stability while going through treatment.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
This year alone, we’ve already given out $200,000 in grants. Since we started in 2017, Marisa’s Mission has given over $1 million to cancer patients and their families.
Since we started in 2017, Marisa’s Mission has given over $1 million to cancer patients and their families.
Yesterday, we met with a grant recipient who is going through chemo treatments at only 4 years old. Her mom had just been let go from her job and was at her wit’s end. She was worried about how she would make her mortgage and car payments with everything going on.
She explained how she got the call from us right when she was on the verge of a breakdown. She didn’t know how she would be able to take care of her child and bring her to treatments when she couldn’t work and already wasn’t making ends meet. She said that the grant awarded to her was a huge comfort.
There are a lot of times that we don’t get to meet with the grant recipients in person, so it was really special to hear how we were able to help this particular family.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We are very proud to have reached over $200,000 in awarded grants this year. The year is not even over yet, so there is still a lot more that we will send out. Since we started, we have given out almost $1.5 million. We are really proud to be able to make such a large impact in my sister’s honor.
We are really proud to be able to make such a large impact in my sister’s honor.
We don’t receive any funding or grants, so it’s also important to note that all of this is based on our donors and the people supporting us.
What do you want people to know about Marisa’s Mission?
We’re here! If you know somebody experiencing a cancer diagnosis in Massachusetts who is struggling in any way or needs assistance, we are here to help! If not financially assisting, we’ll help them find the services they need. We are happy to be here to help.
How will you use the funds you’ve received from the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program?
There are many times when we turn around and use the money that Stop & Shop has given us to purchase gift cards for our patients to buy groceries. In other cases, we have been able to use the money toward one of our grants. Every dollar helps tremendously.
If anybody wants to donate or contribute, we would love for them to visit our website.
Interview with Lauren Federico, Executive Director
Published November 21, 2024.