Our Charities
MEDICINE
It almost goes without saying that hospitals and medical research foundations do some of the most important work in today’s society. The medical advancements of the last century are have enhanced the lives of most people in the world today. Jack Kagan understood the importance of advancing services and research in the medical field in order to save and improve lives. He was a an active contributor to hospitals, and took a particular interest in medical research and technology. Our foundation proudly continues this legacy, and supports organizations that focus on these areas.
"Your generous contribution will be used to improve health care at CHRISTUS St. Vincent, and to help build a healthier, stronger community that benefits all of our residents and visitors. Thank you for making CHRISTUS St. Vincent a better place to heal." -St. Vincent Hospital Foundation
The St. Vincent Hospital Foundation
This Foundation was established in 1980 by forward-thinking, philanthropic community members who recognized the value that philanthropic support could add to a hospital. They founded St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, which is governed by its own independent volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the local community. The Foundation supports the CHRISTUS St. Vincent Health System in providing excellent, compassionate healthcare to patients and families in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico, regardless of ability to pay.
Bike MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
Bike MS is a fundraising cycling series of the National MS Society, and raises more money than any other cycling event for any other cause. Bike MS cyclists, volunteers, and donors raise funds in order to one day stop MS in its tracks, restore what’s been lost, and end MS forever. Route distances vary from 15 to 150 miles, with some rides being one or multi-days. The Jack Kagan Foundation annually sponsors Mr. Mike Esmonde, who rides for the MS Florida Chapter.
Family of Friends
Family of Friends is a licensed Florida Assisted Living Facility with the Agency of Healthcare Administration and also holds a Limited Mental Health specialty license. The operating expenses are financed through monthly maintenance fees due for each resident and contributions from the general public. Their 501(c)(3) program is a cost-friendly alternative to higher priced residential placement facilities in the area. They were founded in 1989 by a group of concerned parents, each with a family member with a mental illness who needed a long-term, affordable and therapeutic residential facility.
Bobby Jones' Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation
The Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF) is a non-profit organization originally founded in 2007. In 2019, the family of Bobby Jones and the CSF partnered to form the Bobby Jones Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation (Bobby Jones CSF), remaining a non-profit with the goal of raising awareness and finding a cure for Chiari malformation (CM, syringomyelia (SM) and related disorders.
bobby Jones CSF has funded over $6 million dollars for education and research projects, and meetings, in its first 13 years and has impacted more than 3.5 million people around the world.
METAvivor
METAvivor’s mission is to transition metastatic breast cancer (MBC) from a terminal diagnosis to a chronic, manageable disease with a decent quality of life. They exist to sustain hope for those living with stage IV MBC. They are a volunteer-led, non-profit organization that funds vital research to help improve the longevity and quality of life for MBC patients.
Research – METAvivor is the only organization in the U.S. that exclusively funds MBC research through a scientific peer-review process. They award research grants to experts engaged in areas of MBC research, and whose proposals show distinct promise in making a difference for the stage IV MBC community.
Awareness – METAvivor brings attention to the specific issues of stage IV MBC, and raises public awareness about the facts of the disease. Each year, 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with breast cancer. Nearly 10 percent of these diagnoses are metastatic, or stage IV, and approximately another 30 percent of breast cancer patients develop MBC.
Support – A community of support is one of the most basic needs for anyone facing metastatic cancer. METAvivor began as a support group in Annapolis, MD for local people living with the disease. Now they focus primarily on awareness and raising funds for MBC research, while their original program of support remains intact.
Funding – METAvivor is led by a small staff and volunteers, most of whom are living with MBC. Donations are primarily directed to research.
Punching Out Parkinson's
Two-time world champion Paulie Ayala began Punching Out Parkinson’s in September of 2011 as an added program to his gym, the University of Hard Knocks. Paulie has been in the sport of boxing for 42 1/2 years. With his experience and compassion for the sport, he has dedicated his time and expertise to designing a regimen for the many people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. The boxing regimen is more than just another “workout routine.” The workout is designed to improve an individual’s movement, speed, eye to hand coordination, balance, strength, speech, endurance and self-image-all the areas PD takes away.
Cancer Foundation for New Mexico
Ski for Light
Ski for Light, Inc. is an all-volunteer, non-profit, organization founded in 1975. The mission of Ski for Light is to teach visually- and mobility-impaired adults the sport of classic cross-country skiing, to give participants who have already mastered the basics the chance to improve their skills and endurance, and to enable participants to just have fun on the snow. Each year Ski for Light, Inc. conducts a week-long International Week that attracts upwards of 250 participants and guides. The location of the event changes from year to year in an effort to spread the Ski for Light philosophy and idea to as many parts of the country as possible. During the Ski for Light week each visually- or mobility-impaired skier is paired for the entire week with an experienced, sighted, able-bodied cross-country skier who acts as ski instructor and guide.