The Harrington Family Foundation

The Harrington family has a longstanding connection to the Sisters of St. Francis from Dubuque, Iowa. This connection with the Franciscans began in 1954 when they began teaching family members at All Saints Grade School in Portland Oregon. In addition to many years of excellence in their commitment to education, the Franciscans continue to stay focused on their community’s core values which also includes a commitment to assist those who are most in need.

The foundation has made a financial contribution to the Franciscans for a water accessibility project in the countries of Honduras and Tanzania. This effort is called the Sister Water Project. Currently 50,000 children under 5 years of age die annually from water related illnesses in Honduras and in Tanzania malaria is the leading killer of children.

The material goal in both of these countries is to provide a water system in Honduras and above ground cisterns to hold rain water in Tanzania. The cost for each is $5000. The Franciscans are also attempting to raise travel funds for volunteers to assist in Honduras in November 2007. The cost would be $1400 per person.

For more information about the Sisters of St. Francis or the Sister Water Project you can contact the community at #563-583-9786 or visit their website at www.osfdbq.org

Joey and the Harrington Family Foundation have joined the 2006 Miami Dolphins All-Community Team where players host 20 guests from non-profit organizations for each of the regular season home games. Joey's guests will be students selected from high schools in Miami Dade and Broward counties that would otherwise not be able to attend a professional football game. Each guest will receive a game day ticket, a T-shirt, an in-game public address announcement and scoreboard mention, in addition to a voucher for snacks during the game. Joey and the HFF participated in a similar program in Detroit and are pleased to be offered the same opportunity in Miami.

Stand for Children, a citizen voice for children, is a non-profit organization that advocates for improvements to and funding for schools and programs that give every child a fair chance in life. Stand for Children exists because children have no power to influence our democratic system to meet their fundamental needs. Stand for Children's mission is to teach everyday people how to join together in an effective grassroots voice in order to win concrete, long-lasting improvements for children in the states they serve.

Stand for Children’s first Chapter in Oregon was founded in 1999. Now, with 4,000 members and supporters, Oregon is Stand for Children’s flagship state and site of it's headquarters. Since 1999, Stand for Children members have won more than 50 state and local victories that are improving the lives of more than 1.2 million children in Oregon, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.

Goals for Stand for Children, Oregon in 2006 include increasing membership and supporters in order to:
1) Educate voters across the state on the facts about schools and school funding, build a stronger pro-schools constituency for the 2006 elections, and help elect several pro-schools state legislators.
2) Increase support for after-school enrichment, early childhood education, and child abuse prevention programs in Portland through renewal of the proven Children’s Initiative, and supporting the passage of local area bond.
3) Prepare to launch a legislative campaign that places Oregon’s schools in the top 10 nationally within 10 years through improvements to school spending, funding, learning environment, and instruction.

For more information about Stand For Children, visit their website at www.stand.org

In response to the reports of a worsening situation in Sudan's Darfur region, the Harrington Family Foundation donated $5000 to Mercy Corps, a Portland, Oregon based relief organization with a long history of supporting children and families after natural disasters and other crises, both domestically and internationally. Mercy Corps was a vital presence in the aftermath of 9/11, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, as well as, a continuing presence in Darfur, Sudan.

As the Darfur crisis enters its third horrifying year, peacekeeping forces find themselves unable to protect innocent families. Humanitarian access to remote locations is becoming harder by the day, putting civilians at risk - especially women and children. Currently, Mercy Corps is assisting and protecting more than 117,000 displaced persons. This vital relief organization has nearly 200 veteran aid workers in Darfur, where they continue to help people meet their most basic needs. The agency's focus includes improved sanitation systems, clean water, distribution of relief items and building safe spaces where children can learn and play.

To learn more about Mercy Corps and their work around the world, visit www.mercycorps.org and discover how you can help, too.

The Harrington family would like to thank all those who have supported the mission of the foundation in 2005 through personal financial contributions, as well as the purchase of autographed memorabilia. The revenue from these sources, combined with foundation funds, have helped us provide assistance to the following non-profit organizations:

Detroit Lions Charities

Shriners Hospitals For Children, Portland

Providence Child Center
(for medically fragile children)

University of Oregon, School of Music
(capital campaign)

Central Catholic High School
(scholarships)

David Douglas High School / Celtic Heart
(assisting students in need with clothing and school supplies)

Mercy Corps
(hurricane relief)

NW Medical Teams

Stand For Children

Childrens Defense Fund

Childrens Heart Foundation

Young Life
(summer camp tuition assistance)

NW Family Services
(abstinence program)

SMART (Start Making a Reader Today)

AVSI
(text books for Uganda school)

Los Embajadores
(scholarship assistance)

Adopt-A-Minefield

Boys and Girls Club of Oregon

Teammates For Kids Foundation

STARS Foundation
(a national program which promotes positive decision making, self esteem and abstinence for young people)

Community Transitional School
(for homeless children)

Life Teen
(Catholic youth group)

Special Olympics, Michigan

Childrens Hospital of Michigan

Spina Bifada Association

March of Dimes

ALS Benefit Auction

Children's Miracle Network

Mid Valley Youth Association

Junior Achievement

Muscular Dystrophy Association