Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmine Steffens.
Hi Carmine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started the Happy Hearts Foundation in 2023 when I was 15 years old, in memory of my grandparents. My grandmother, RoseMarie Bonomo, died of pancreatic cancer in 2020, and my grandfather, Carmine Bonomo, died of a heart attack in 2000. The work we do honors them and the lives they lived.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have definitely been bumps in the road, from having to learn how to run an organization at a young age to securing grant funding; there have been trials along the way that have made every success all the more important. Through all of these struggles, I have been able to learn more and more about what it means to truly succeed and why it is so necessary to never give up.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Happy Hearts Foundation?
Our mission is to honor the legacy of Carmine and RoseMarie Bonomo by spreading kindness and emotional support to individuals in moments of difficulty. Our primary program creates and delivers carebags filled with comfort items such as stress balls, lip balm, notebooks, combs, nail care tools, sleep masks, pens, word-searches, and handwritten cards. These items provide patients and caregivers with comfort, distraction, and encouragement during long hospital stays or stressful medical events. We aim to ease emotional strain, improve the patient experience, and remind individuals that they are not alone. We serve hospitals across the country, with consistent monthly deliveries to three hospital partners in New Jersey. Our consistent volume of service sets us apart as we are always making and donating carebags for those in need.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The ability to persevere and roll with the punches that come with running a nonprofit organization is the most pivotal reason I have for being successful. There are always more trials waiting, and it is key to never become complacent and never stop giving 110%.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://happy-hearts.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happy_hearts_foundation_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556321741457
