Jillian Fund

The Jillian Fund provides support to families with children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening diseases, as well as scholarships for young women who demonstrate academic excellence and actively benefit their communities. Founded by George Gorman in honor of his daughter, Jillian Lauren Gorman, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer at the age of 16, the Fund directly commits financial aid to parents raising a child struggling with a critical illness.

What’s New

SWK Helps Raise $470K at Jillian Fund Gala 2019

On October 30, 2019, the Jillian Fund held their 6th annual TJF Gala at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. Nearly 800 attendees, including the SWK team, helped to raise $470,000 for the event. Proceeds will go towards providing financial support to families with children suffering from terminal diseases, including transportation, care, and any other expenses that could impose a financial barrier for those parents.

The attractions included a dance show, a haunted house area designed by Leonard Pickel, and a Harley Davidson raffle. There was also a custom rendition of “You’re Too Good to be True” in honor of Jillian Gorman, the namesake of the Fund. SWK had a full table of attendees, which included CEO Mark Meller, VP of Marketing Antonio Carrion, VP of Operations for NWS Bill Michael, Sage 100 Consultant Ray Piazza, and their spouses.

With programs like the Gala and a motorcycle run by the TFJ’s Patriot Pack club, the Fund has managed to raise $2 million in the past two years. This money has gone a long way to improving the lives of many patients and their families, one of the former whom now sits on the Jillian Fund board of directors. SWK was proud to attend TJF’s 2019 Gala, and plans to join the ever-growing list of attendees again in the future.

Visit the Jillian Fund for more details.

Our Stories

Ray Piazza – Senior Consultant

Cancer is a natural disaster, it strikes randomly and completely destroys your world. I cannot imagine the emotional toll any parent goes through with a child diagnosed with cancer. Having a relative that is a cancer survivor, I understand some of the despair that comes with the thought that you might not see them again. For parents, the risk that one day they could be gone must be devastating.

That is why I am proud that to be working with the Jillian Fund to give parents more time with their children. I was first introduced to the Jillian fund by a client, and the vision and goals of the organization really struck a note with me. I brought up the Fund to SWK’s executives, and once they learned about its mission, everyone was immediately on board.

The Jillian Fund does something truly important by allowing parents with sick children more time with each other, as well as helping to remove the constant worry of medical bills and choosing between their ailing child and work. The Fund gives these families something truly precious – time. I am proud to be part of something that gives these families the opportunity to build more happy memories together.

Want to get involved?

Make A Difference!