Gospel Celebration,

Maureen Manard

I started out my ministry doing what I love to do; singing.
In June of 2007,  I though about doing fundraising, not knowing what I'm doing, but I knew that I needed to give back to this great hospital, Ann and Robert Lurie's Children's Memorial Hospital, that God had  led me to, who offered care for my son's.  Andre was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at 3 months old in 1995.  In 2002, Matthew was born prematurely at 29 weeks, and needed to be trached and has required multiple operation since, and was also diagnosed with short gut syndrom.   
Today Andre, 21, is in college and wants to be a doctor.  He has learned how to cope with his disease and is doing well.  Matthew is still going through surgeries to reconstruct his airway and hopefully be able to remove the trach someday.
I know how good it feels to give back and it was especially meaningful when I had received such remarkable care through the years.
Giving back has become very important part of my ministry.
Since 2007, I have been giving donations to Ann and Robert Lurie's Children's Memorial, even if I don't make a profit from an event.
I have been sponsoring each event from my own income, which has been difficult being a single mom with two son who are patients of Ann and Robert Lurie's Children's Memorial Hospital for their life-threatening  medical conditions which they have had from infancy.  
In 2014, I also started to make gift packages of toys and clothes for Christmas to the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre for the physically and mentally impaired in Kingston, Jamaica partnering with Love 101 FM (Jamaica).
This year Gospel Celebration was formed as a non-profit organization to spearhead all future fundraising events.