Alex and Mary Hampshire
Where it all started!!
Where it all started!!
Below is a edited version of an article posted by Michael Vitez, an INQUIRER Staff Writer, in November 2004 that provides an historical explanation of the HFF up to that time.
Family skips gifts, feeds charity fund "Eat, drink, laugh . . . make a difference."
By Michael Vitez INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: November 25, 2004
Marguerite Bruni of Bensalem comes from a big family, a loving family. But eight years ago, when the holidays came around, she felt that somehow the joy of giving had gotten lost. "You spent so much time looking and shopping for nieces and nephews that you didn't see very often," said Bruni, 53, now a volunteer with the American Red Cross.
"And my children, I felt, didn't appreciate the gifts that they were receiving. It occurred to me we were putting a lot of energy into something that was not being appreciated."
So Bruni and her family began to change the world in their own small way. In January 1997, just after the holidays, Bruni sent a letter to her five siblings, their children and their grandchildren - 40 members of the extended family:
"Speaking for myself," she wrote, "with every passing year I find it harder and harder to know what to buy and wondering if I am giving something wanted, or something wasted. It makes me wonder why we do this year after year."
She proposed that instead of exchanging gifts between families, they create a family fund. Everyone would contribute what he or she could afford and give the money to a worthy charity each year. "I believe, I really believe, that we have an angel on our shoulder," Bruni said. "We're a fortunate group of people, and I think that it's important to share your angel with others less fortunate."
What has been created - the Hampshire Family Fund, named after Bruni's parents, Alexander and Mary Hampshire - is more successful and rewarding than anyone in the extended family had imagined. Now in its eighth year, the fund has brought the family closer, has given more than $12,000 to charities, and has taught everyone, especially the children, the value of giving.
"Instead of getting together to eat, drink and laugh," said Jeanne Friend, 46, a granddaughter of Alexander and Mary Hampshire, "we now eat, drink, laugh - and make a difference." Operation of the fund is simple and democratic.
The family assembles several times a year to nominate and choose the charity, which changes every year. Everyone, including grade-school children, gets one vote.
"We never have any arguments," said Jerry Hampshire, 58, a company controller who lives in Cherry Hill. "There's no friction between anybody. To me, that's beautiful. I think this has provided us with a reason to keep in touch."
Once a charity is chosen, each family member writes a personal check directly to the charity. The annual chairperson of the family fund - a new person each year - collects the checks and presents them to the recipient around the holidays. The total is usually $1,500 to $2,000.
Last year, Zach Bruni, age 12, was chairman. The responsibility made him realize the difference he can make.
"Before, I would just sit back and watch," said Zach, wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt and smiling with braces on his teeth at a recent family meeting. "And now, if I don't agree, I'll raise my hand and speak up."
His cousin John Van Note, 14, contributed $180 that he'd earned on a paper route to the fund two years ago; he gave an additional $100 last year. His parents were so proud of his generosity. "It was something I planned on doing, so I just did it," he said.
The Hampshire Family Fund has grown beyond the annual gift. For four years, the family also made a yearly pilgrimage to the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia to cook dinner for families staying there. And for several years now, the family has assembled twice a year in Friend's kitchen in Bensalem to cook 120 dinners and stuff 120 breakfast bags. These are delivered to shut-ins around Bucks County by an organization called Aid for Friends.
In addition, someone will organize an event - say, family bowling night - compute a per-capita cost, then charge a little extra to go into the family fund. This fall the family gave $400 from the fund to Florida hurricane victims.
"In the very beginning, I had hoped the Hampshire Family Fund would do two things," said Zach's mother, Marguerite Bruni. "I hoped that it would teach our children to give, to emphasize and care about giving, and it would keep us close as a family as we started to branch out and go our separate ways. Those things have absolutely been fulfilled.
"Other than that," she added, "we have gotten to know each other better. We have expanded what we do outside of just putting together some money for a Christmas gift to a chosen charity. You just feel good." She said acquaintances had started their own funds after hearing about her family's.
The Hampshire family gathered the other day at Friend's home to announce this year's charity. There had been five nominees, including the Parkinson's Action Network and Stem Cell Action Network. "This year's winner, with 55 percent of the vote, is the family of Gale Peers," announced Leonard Armstrong, 41, of Palmyra, the current chairman. The room burst into cheers.
Peers, a labor and delivery nurse at Jeanes Hospital in Philadelphia, died of bile duct cancer last spring, leaving 11 children ranging in age from newborn to 17. Hampshire family member Mary Beth Van Note, who knew Peers, had nominated the family. When notified last week about the impending gift, Peers' husband said he was "in awe" of the Hampshire family's kindness.
The Hampshire family's first gift was to the ALS Association because that disease killed Alexander Hampshire in 1987. His widow, Mary, was moved by this. One of her daughters, Mary Armstrong stated. "I know by the time she died last year, she was very proud of us."
Other recipients have included Aid for Friends, Christ's Home for Children, A Woman's Place, and the Lower Southampton Fire Company.
Leonard Armstrong said the specifics of how to set up a family fund are not nearly as important as acting on the desire to do it. "After that," he said, "things just seem to fall in place."
Family skips gifts, feeds charity fund "Eat, drink, laugh . . . make a difference."
By Michael Vitez INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: November 25, 2004
Marguerite Bruni of Bensalem comes from a big family, a loving family. But eight years ago, when the holidays came around, she felt that somehow the joy of giving had gotten lost. "You spent so much time looking and shopping for nieces and nephews that you didn't see very often," said Bruni, 53, now a volunteer with the American Red Cross.
"And my children, I felt, didn't appreciate the gifts that they were receiving. It occurred to me we were putting a lot of energy into something that was not being appreciated."
So Bruni and her family began to change the world in their own small way. In January 1997, just after the holidays, Bruni sent a letter to her five siblings, their children and their grandchildren - 40 members of the extended family:
"Speaking for myself," she wrote, "with every passing year I find it harder and harder to know what to buy and wondering if I am giving something wanted, or something wasted. It makes me wonder why we do this year after year."
She proposed that instead of exchanging gifts between families, they create a family fund. Everyone would contribute what he or she could afford and give the money to a worthy charity each year. "I believe, I really believe, that we have an angel on our shoulder," Bruni said. "We're a fortunate group of people, and I think that it's important to share your angel with others less fortunate."
What has been created - the Hampshire Family Fund, named after Bruni's parents, Alexander and Mary Hampshire - is more successful and rewarding than anyone in the extended family had imagined. Now in its eighth year, the fund has brought the family closer, has given more than $12,000 to charities, and has taught everyone, especially the children, the value of giving.
"Instead of getting together to eat, drink and laugh," said Jeanne Friend, 46, a granddaughter of Alexander and Mary Hampshire, "we now eat, drink, laugh - and make a difference." Operation of the fund is simple and democratic.
The family assembles several times a year to nominate and choose the charity, which changes every year. Everyone, including grade-school children, gets one vote.
"We never have any arguments," said Jerry Hampshire, 58, a company controller who lives in Cherry Hill. "There's no friction between anybody. To me, that's beautiful. I think this has provided us with a reason to keep in touch."
Once a charity is chosen, each family member writes a personal check directly to the charity. The annual chairperson of the family fund - a new person each year - collects the checks and presents them to the recipient around the holidays. The total is usually $1,500 to $2,000.
Last year, Zach Bruni, age 12, was chairman. The responsibility made him realize the difference he can make.
"Before, I would just sit back and watch," said Zach, wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt and smiling with braces on his teeth at a recent family meeting. "And now, if I don't agree, I'll raise my hand and speak up."
His cousin John Van Note, 14, contributed $180 that he'd earned on a paper route to the fund two years ago; he gave an additional $100 last year. His parents were so proud of his generosity. "It was something I planned on doing, so I just did it," he said.
The Hampshire Family Fund has grown beyond the annual gift. For four years, the family also made a yearly pilgrimage to the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia to cook dinner for families staying there. And for several years now, the family has assembled twice a year in Friend's kitchen in Bensalem to cook 120 dinners and stuff 120 breakfast bags. These are delivered to shut-ins around Bucks County by an organization called Aid for Friends.
In addition, someone will organize an event - say, family bowling night - compute a per-capita cost, then charge a little extra to go into the family fund. This fall the family gave $400 from the fund to Florida hurricane victims.
"In the very beginning, I had hoped the Hampshire Family Fund would do two things," said Zach's mother, Marguerite Bruni. "I hoped that it would teach our children to give, to emphasize and care about giving, and it would keep us close as a family as we started to branch out and go our separate ways. Those things have absolutely been fulfilled.
"Other than that," she added, "we have gotten to know each other better. We have expanded what we do outside of just putting together some money for a Christmas gift to a chosen charity. You just feel good." She said acquaintances had started their own funds after hearing about her family's.
The Hampshire family gathered the other day at Friend's home to announce this year's charity. There had been five nominees, including the Parkinson's Action Network and Stem Cell Action Network. "This year's winner, with 55 percent of the vote, is the family of Gale Peers," announced Leonard Armstrong, 41, of Palmyra, the current chairman. The room burst into cheers.
Peers, a labor and delivery nurse at Jeanes Hospital in Philadelphia, died of bile duct cancer last spring, leaving 11 children ranging in age from newborn to 17. Hampshire family member Mary Beth Van Note, who knew Peers, had nominated the family. When notified last week about the impending gift, Peers' husband said he was "in awe" of the Hampshire family's kindness.
The Hampshire family's first gift was to the ALS Association because that disease killed Alexander Hampshire in 1987. His widow, Mary, was moved by this. One of her daughters, Mary Armstrong stated. "I know by the time she died last year, she was very proud of us."
Other recipients have included Aid for Friends, Christ's Home for Children, A Woman's Place, and the Lower Southampton Fire Company.
Leonard Armstrong said the specifics of how to set up a family fund are not nearly as important as acting on the desire to do it. "After that," he said, "things just seem to fall in place."
Here is a List of our past selected charities:
1997 - ALS Association
1998 - Aid For Friends
1999 - Christ Home
2000 - A Woman's Place
2001 - Lower Southhampton Fire Co
2002 - Alzheimers Assn
2003 - Christ's Home - Add'l Visitation Funeral Donations
2004 - Family of Ed Peers - Add'l Red Cross Disaster Relief
2005 - Parkinson's Action Network
2006 - Dragonfly Forest
2007 - Jamie Moyer Foundation - Camp Erin - Add'l Tia Anna El Salvadore Candles
2008 - The Valerie Fund
2009 - Bethanna - Add'l Adopt a Family (Bethanna)
2010 - Miracle for Melissa - Add'l Adopt a Family (Bethanna)
2011 - Little Smiles
2012 - Fox Chase Cancer Center
2013 - Fox Chase Cancer Center
2014 - Parkinson's Council
2015 - Kisses for Kyle
2016 - D.A.V.E.
Total Donations to Date - $87,000.00
1997 - ALS Association
1998 - Aid For Friends
1999 - Christ Home
2000 - A Woman's Place
2001 - Lower Southhampton Fire Co
2002 - Alzheimers Assn
2003 - Christ's Home - Add'l Visitation Funeral Donations
2004 - Family of Ed Peers - Add'l Red Cross Disaster Relief
2005 - Parkinson's Action Network
2006 - Dragonfly Forest
2007 - Jamie Moyer Foundation - Camp Erin - Add'l Tia Anna El Salvadore Candles
2008 - The Valerie Fund
2009 - Bethanna - Add'l Adopt a Family (Bethanna)
2010 - Miracle for Melissa - Add'l Adopt a Family (Bethanna)
2011 - Little Smiles
2012 - Fox Chase Cancer Center
2013 - Fox Chase Cancer Center
2014 - Parkinson's Council
2015 - Kisses for Kyle
2016 - D.A.V.E.
Total Donations to Date - $87,000.00