For 20 years, HomeGoods has been a valued partner of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund through their “HomeGoods Helps Families Fight Cancer” campaign. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 HomeGoods campaign brought in more than $2.9 million in support of Dana-Farber’s cutting-edge research and patient care—an astounding total and the highest in the program’s history.
From Aug. 20 through Sept. 16, HomeGoods and Homesense invited customers nationwide to make a contribution during check-out. Shoppers also had the opportunity to purchase a limited edition reusable shopping bag, featuring original artwork by Jimmy Fund Clinic patients Cassilly, age 11, and Tyler, age 17. With 50% of the purchase price of each reusable bag and 100% of customer donations directly benefitting the Jimmy Fund, HomeGoods has once again made a tremendous difference in the lives of our patients. Cassilly is most often described as an energetic and athletic 11-year-old with a big personality. After being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), she maintained her positive attitude and looked for ways to give back to the Jimmy Fund. Her HomeGoods bag features a colorful, sunny floral design that reflects her love of summer and the outdoors, and her passion for making people happy whenever possible.
“Cassilly is great—her positive attitude has taken her far through this treatment. This is not an easy road to be on for any child and she’s done a remarkable job,” said Lewis Silverman, MD, Cassilly’s doctor.
Tyler is also passionate about giving back, and loves volunteering with his church and working on a graphic novel in his spare time. Tyler was diagnosed in May 2019 with a rare desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), and he found that channeling his energy into the comic book has been a motivation and a distraction throughout his treatment.
“When I was diagnosed, I was a bit shocked, but I kind of just kept going and started my journey while working on my comic book,” said Tyler. “I kept afloat with encouraging words from my family and just looked to the future.”
The opportunity to design a HomeGoods reusable bag provided another creative outlet for Tyler. His design features a relaxing aquatic theme with fish swimming through a deep blue ocean. Since 2001, HomeGoods has raised more than $19 million in support of Dana-Farber’s lifesaving mission. In addition, their partnership with Jimmy Fund Clinic patients provides an ongoing opportunity for these young patients to express themselves creatively during treatment.