The Maggie Jean Foundation's mission is to provide support for women and families experiencing pregnancy, adoption, infant, or stillbirth loss.
The Maggie Jean Foundation is a non-profit organization located in Marshall, MN. We started this foundation as a result of our difficulties staying pregnant. We became pregnant 3 times. The first was an ectopic pregnancy that was discovered when I went to the doctor because I didn’t feel good. The second was a miscarriage at 7 weeks and then our third, Maggie Jean, was stillborn at 22 weeks. When we saw the ultrasound that confirmed the lack of a heartbeat we were devastated. We did become pregnant 2 more times and have 2 wonderful adult children. Our rainbow baby is Jessica who is now a nurse. Our son Joe was born 2 ½ years later and is a software engineer.
We are very familiar with the heartache that comes from experiencing a loss such as this. One of the hardest parts was going to the hospital to give birth, knowing you would not come home with a baby. We want to support families who have suffered loss and make sure they know they are not alone.
Part of the planned purpose of the foundation’s events are to give people hope by walking alongside them and letting them know they are not alone. It is a membership no one wants to belong to, but hopefully we can provide some solace during this difficult and painful time. The other purpose is to show them that God is with you and to help you turn to Him, when you are hurting and don’t understand. Through this life we will have trials and may never understand the reasons. No one is exempt from that.
The Maggie Jean Foundation’s purpose is to help families suffering loss. Our plan is to use the money raised to produce “boxes of blessings” to give to local families who suffer a pregnancy loss, stillborn or adoption loss. The box of blessings will have a pendant in honor of the lost child, a devotional journal, flower seeds, a candle and a hand knit/sewn blanket and hat that is gestational appropriate age. The candle can be used for the Worldwide Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Annually on October 15 candles are lit for 1 hour starting at 7:00 pm in your time zone. It is called “the wave of light around the world.”
The content of the boxes is a work in progress. Ideas are welcomed. We will deliver the boxes to hospitals and clinics. The medical personnel will distribute the boxes of blessings to the appropriate families. People can also have our foundation mail boxes or deliver to families in need. The privacy of the recipients will be honored.