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Hello,
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My Story
Years ago, after attending Syracuse University, Renee became a successful professional artist and was excelling in her career when a tragic accident took the life of her youngest sister. The crippling grief experienced by her family and her sister’s friends inspired her to create a nonprofit in her sister’s honor just nine days after her untimely passing. This loss activated a calling within her to create an avenue of healing for her own family and friends, while also supporting children and families enduring serious illnesses and other devastating adversities.
Missy, her sister, had been studying to become a teacher. As the founder of this nonprofit Memorial Fund, Renee directed the organization’s focus toward helping children facing serious illnesses, poverty, and dysfunctional family circumstances. Over the years, thousands of children and families in New Jersey have been assisted by this compassionate remembrance organization. The nonprofit has now existed for more than 35 years, sustained entirely by dedicated volunteers, including family and friends. Renee is currently reorganizing and expanding the mission with new partners and technology to reach a global audience.
While working with children and families over the years, she witnessed the enormous need for support for those dealing with serious illnesses such as cancer. Ms. Ronnie became an active board member of STOP Children’s Cancer and the Children’s Miracle Network. She also served as a member of the Pediatric Oncology Support Team (POST) and many other nonprofit organizations directly involved in supporting families and children with cancer. She developed numerous programs for children's cancer organizations, integrating art, wellness education, and fundraising.
She received a grant from VSA and created a program that combined her love of art with health, serving several hospitals and patients. The program used art to help process trauma and foster joy, community, and healing. Her deep understanding of how to use various art forms as a safe outlet for expression, trauma release, and emotional healing became the catalyst for many programs she developed. She also inspired and trained hundreds of volunteers.
During her work in Arts & Health within hospitals, she was offered a position by the CEO of one of the hospitals she served. Without a formal degree or training, she became the Director of Child Life. Renee provided daily compassionate support and education to pediatric patients and their families through art while developing the Child Life Program. Her responsibilities included managing community engagement, education, advocacy, volunteer coordination, staffing, and budgeting. As Director, she advocated for every hospitalized child in a facility with 78 beds, most often filled to capacity. She loved and supported each child as if they were her own.
After 9/11, she created Prayer Flags for Peace and helped organize a concert titled Voices for Healing. The sold-out event brought together numerous high school choirs to share messages of hope and inspiration, raising funds for families affected by the tragedy. More than a thousand children participated. Renee later founded the global community art project Prayer Flags for Peace. On the first anniversary of 9/11, the flags surrounded the entire site of the fallen World Trade Center towers, bringing prayers for peace and healing. Thousands of flags were collected from around the world, with additional flags donated to fire and rescue stations. Each flag—hand-drawn on a pillowcase—expressed a unique prayer and dream for humanity. The project received significant support from the United Nations, Japanese humanitarian Shinji Sheumi, Bed Bath & Beyond, Christ Fellowship Church, and many other sponsors.
While raising two children as a single mother in Florida during the height of the opioid epidemic, Renee personally experienced its devastating effects when her home was robbed by teenage addicts seeking money to support their dependency. One of the identified teens died shortly after the incident. The robbery left her without insurance and caused severe financial hardship, eventually resulting in the loss of her family home. Instead of responding with anger or resentment, she used her experiences, skills, and spiritual compassion to help those seeking recovery from addiction. Once again, a personal tragedy inspired her to create efforts focused on helping humanity and supporting individuals striving to rebuild their lives.
Renee later worked for the renowned Hippocrates Health Institute, where she furthered her understanding of food as medicine, strengthening her ability to incorporate nutrition and wellness into healing practices. Recognizing the benefits of plant medicine over pharmaceuticals, Ms. Ronnie became deeply involved in education and advocacy for natural healing modalities, including cannabis, working alongside leading experts, patients, and doctors.
She has also supported and assisted a well-known musical artist dedicated to raising awareness about the rising mental health struggles and suicide rates among teens and young adults, as well as supporting high-risk youth.
Ms. Ronnie has been an active volunteer for over 40 years, giving her time and talents to numerous nonprofit organizations, including The Star Foundation, Tico Foundation, Leukemia & Cancer Society, Little Smiles, Homeless in America, Voices for Healing, Shinji Sheumi, STOP Children’s Cancer, The Children’s Miracle Network, Connors Foundation, Opiate Awareness Foundation, and The Benjamin School, where her two children studied.
She is a proud mother of a son and daughter who are now grown and contributing to humanity in their own unique ways. She has also been blessed as a grandmother, affectionately called “Nonnie” (a family tradition) by her two beautiful granddaughters.
Seeking to deepen her healing abilities, she studied over the years under many leaders in neuroscience, energy healing, and spirituality. Ms. Ronnie has dedicated her life’s guidance, knowledge, passion, time, resources, and talents to advocating for the wellbeing of humanity and the planet.
Missy, her sister, had been studying to become a teacher. As the founder of this nonprofit Memorial Fund, Renee directed the organization’s focus toward helping children facing serious illnesses, poverty, and dysfunctional family circumstances. Over the years, thousands of children and families in New Jersey have been assisted by this compassionate remembrance organization. The nonprofit has now existed for more than 35 years, sustained entirely by dedicated volunteers, including family and friends. Renee is currently reorganizing and expanding the mission with new partners and technology to reach a global audience.
While working with children and families over the years, she witnessed the enormous need for support for those dealing with serious illnesses such as cancer. Ms. Ronnie became an active board member of STOP Children’s Cancer and the Children’s Miracle Network. She also served as a member of the Pediatric Oncology Support Team (POST) and many other nonprofit organizations directly involved in supporting families and children with cancer. She developed numerous programs for children's cancer organizations, integrating art, wellness education, and fundraising.
She received a grant from VSA and created a program that combined her love of art with health, serving several hospitals and patients. The program used art to help process trauma and foster joy, community, and healing. Her deep understanding of how to use various art forms as a safe outlet for expression, trauma release, and emotional healing became the catalyst for many programs she developed. She also inspired and trained hundreds of volunteers.
During her work in Arts & Health within hospitals, she was offered a position by the CEO of one of the hospitals she served. Without a formal degree or training, she became the Director of Child Life. Renee provided daily compassionate support and education to pediatric patients and their families through art while developing the Child Life Program. Her responsibilities included managing community engagement, education, advocacy, volunteer coordination, staffing, and budgeting. As Director, she advocated for every hospitalized child in a facility with 78 beds, most often filled to capacity. She loved and supported each child as if they were her own.
After 9/11, she created Prayer Flags for Peace and helped organize a concert titled Voices for Healing. The sold-out event brought together numerous high school choirs to share messages of hope and inspiration, raising funds for families affected by the tragedy. More than a thousand children participated. Renee later founded the global community art project Prayer Flags for Peace. On the first anniversary of 9/11, the flags surrounded the entire site of the fallen World Trade Center towers, bringing prayers for peace and healing. Thousands of flags were collected from around the world, with additional flags donated to fire and rescue stations. Each flag—hand-drawn on a pillowcase—expressed a unique prayer and dream for humanity. The project received significant support from the United Nations, Japanese humanitarian Shinji Sheumi, Bed Bath & Beyond, Christ Fellowship Church, and many other sponsors.
While raising two children as a single mother in Florida during the height of the opioid epidemic, Renee personally experienced its devastating effects when her home was robbed by teenage addicts seeking money to support their dependency. One of the identified teens died shortly after the incident. The robbery left her without insurance and caused severe financial hardship, eventually resulting in the loss of her family home. Instead of responding with anger or resentment, she used her experiences, skills, and spiritual compassion to help those seeking recovery from addiction. Once again, a personal tragedy inspired her to create efforts focused on helping humanity and supporting individuals striving to rebuild their lives.
Renee later worked for the renowned Hippocrates Health Institute, where she furthered her understanding of food as medicine, strengthening her ability to incorporate nutrition and wellness into healing practices. Recognizing the benefits of plant medicine over pharmaceuticals, Ms. Ronnie became deeply involved in education and advocacy for natural healing modalities, including cannabis, working alongside leading experts, patients, and doctors.
She has also supported and assisted a well-known musical artist dedicated to raising awareness about the rising mental health struggles and suicide rates among teens and young adults, as well as supporting high-risk youth.
Ms. Ronnie has been an active volunteer for over 40 years, giving her time and talents to numerous nonprofit organizations, including The Star Foundation, Tico Foundation, Leukemia & Cancer Society, Little Smiles, Homeless in America, Voices for Healing, Shinji Sheumi, STOP Children’s Cancer, The Children’s Miracle Network, Connors Foundation, Opiate Awareness Foundation, and The Benjamin School, where her two children studied.
She is a proud mother of a son and daughter who are now grown and contributing to humanity in their own unique ways. She has also been blessed as a grandmother, affectionately called “Nonnie” (a family tradition) by her two beautiful granddaughters.
Seeking to deepen her healing abilities, she studied over the years under many leaders in neuroscience, energy healing, and spirituality. Ms. Ronnie has dedicated her life’s guidance, knowledge, passion, time, resources, and talents to advocating for the wellbeing of humanity and the planet.
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