 | |
| Named after | Einar "Jimmy" Gustafson |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1948; 77 years ago (1948) |
| 04-2263040[1] | |
| Purpose | Cancer research and patient care |
| Headquarters | Brookline, Massachusetts[1] |
Chairman | Tom Caron,Brock Holt |
| Affiliations | Dana–Farber Cancer Institute,Boston Red Sox |
| Website | jimmyfund |
The Jimmy Fund, established inBoston in 1948, is made up of community-based fundraising events and other programs that benefit theDana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since 1948, millions of people have given money to the Jimmy Fund to help save lives and reduce the burden of cancer for patients and families worldwide.[2]
The Jimmy Fund holds fundraising events including Jimmy Fund Golf, the nation's oldest and largest charity golf program,[3] and the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.[4] The Jimmy Fund is an official charity of theBoston Red Sox,[5] the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association,[6] thePan-Mass Challenge, and theVariety Children's Charity of New England.[7][8]
In 1947,Sidney Farber founded theDana-Farber Cancer Institute inBoston. The following year he launched the Jimmy Fund to raise money to support the hospital.[9][10] The fund was named after a patient who was named "Jimmy" to protect his identity – his real name wasEinar Gustafson and his identity was revealed in 1998.[9][10]
On May 22, 1948, "Jimmy" inspired a movement onTruth or Consequences, a national radio program hosted byRalph Edwards.[10][11] During the program, "Jimmy" was visited in the hospital by star players from theBoston Braves; the visit was arranged by futureNew England Patriots ownerBilly Sullivan.[10][11][12] Listeners were moved to act when asked to send in money to buy Jimmy a TV so that he could watch theBoston Braves.[11][13] More than $200,000 was raised for the Jimmy Fund that year.[10]
Beginning in 1949, some movie theaters began showing a Jimmy Fund trailer before movies and asked audience members to contribute to the fund.[14]
The Jimmy Fund’s baseball origins later evolved into a longstanding partnership with theBoston Red Sox after the Bravesmoved to Milwaukee in 1953.[15][16]
In 1980, thePan-Mass Challenge, a charity bicycle race, was founded to benefit the Jimmy Fund.[17] In 1983, the Jimmy Fund began holding the Scooper Bowl, an ice cream festival, in Boston.[18] Also in 1983, the fund began organizing golf tournaments to raise money.[19] In 1989, the fund began organizing the Jimmy Fund Walk, which runs in conjunction with theBoston Marathon.[20]
In 2002, the firstWEEI Jimmy Fund Radiothon was held.[21] In 2003,NESN joined the event and simulcasted it around New England.[22]
In 2013, the Jimmy Fund held its first Big Ideas Contest asking the public to submit new fundraising ideas for the fund.[23][24]
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