The Lopez Family Foundation is an American
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
founded by sisters,
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
and
Lynda Lopez
Lynda Lopez (born June 14, 1971) is an American journalist and author based in New York City. She is also a co-founder of Nuyorican Productions, an American production company founded in 2001 with Benny Medina which became active in 2006 with the ...
in 2009. Although the sisters had wanted to create a charitable foundation for years, it wasn't until Jennifer's daughter Emme experienced a medical scare when they did. At the age of three weeks, a bump was discovered on Emme's head. Although she was okay, Jennifer felt that there are mothers and children who didn't have proper medical care and access to health systems. The sisters then partnered with
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is a nationally ranked, freestanding acute care children's hospital in the East Hollywood district of Los Angeles, on Sunset Boulevard at the corner of Vermont Avenue. The hospital has been academically affi ...
and the
Telemedicine program to develop 'The Maribel Foundation'. It was named after Jennifer's then-husband
Marc Anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. A three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Gra ...
's sister Maribel, who died due to a
brain cancer
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...
at age 8.
While also partnering with companies such as
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
and
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
, the foundation works to increase the availability of health care and health education to the less fortunate. As of 2012, its name has been changed to The Lopez Family Foundation. The foundation's slogan is ''Where children are concerned, there is no time to lose.''
Background
Development
Since early in her life, she has been passionate about supporting children; For example, her album
Rebirth (Jennifer Lopez album)
''Rebirth'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on February 23, 2005, by Epic Records. Following the release of her third studio album '' This Is Me... Then'' (2002), which was dedicated to her fiancé at ...
is dedicated to Paige Peterson,
an eleven-year-old cancer patient whom Lopez befriended during visits to the
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) is a nationally ranked, freestanding acute care children's hospital in the East Hollywood district of Los Angeles, on Sunset Boulevard at the corner of Vermont Avenue. The hospital has been academically affi ...
. Peterson died in November 2004. Lopez noting that, "I don't like to do my charity work in public. That's not what you do it for."
At the annual
The Women's Conference
The Women's Conference (formerly the California Governor & First Lady's Conference on Women) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan US organization and annual forum for women. The event first began in 1986 as a California government initiative for working pro ...
in 2008, Jennifer first talked about plans for her foundation, which will "prioritize the importance of empowerment".
She stated: "I have lots of big dreams and envision big changes toward proper healthcare, prenatal care, pediatric care. And that, coming together in the biggest possible way is what I believe women are capable of".
She confirmed that the foundation being built would focus on women, health, children and education.
On May 14, 2009 Jennifer appeared at the Noche de Niños gala benefit for the
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles where she further discussed information about 'The Maribel Foundation'. The Lopez sisters partnered with the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles to provide services for the less fortunate.
Inspiration
Jennifer has credited her pregnancy as the driving force behind creating 'The Maribel Foundation', which she calls "close to my heart".
It was named after Jennifer's (then) husband
Marc Anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. A three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Gra ...
's sister Maribel who died after being diagnosed with a
brain tumor
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...
at the age of eight.
She has said that the most "empowering thing" she has ever done is "Probably giving birth. And as a direct result of that, setting up a charity with my sister Lynda." The sisters had dreamed of developing a charity, Jennifer explained: "It was a dream we had for a long time. Once we had babies we were ready to say, 'Let's do it'. We're not claiming to change the world in one day, we're just going to do our little part."
While planning the foundation, they knew that it would always be focused on helping women and children's health and education.
Although they had thought about it for a long time, it was not until Jennifer's daughter, Emme, experienced a medical scare, when they went ahead with creating the foundation. When Emme was three weeks old, a bump was discovered on her head.
She was rushed to the hospital where an
MRI scan
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves ...
was performed, but she was given the okay. Jennifer said at the Noche de Niños gala: "I started to wonder, what if I couldn't afford a doctor or receive the medicines, the procedures?" It was after this when she joined forces with the Los Angeles Children's hospital.
In December 2011, she said of the situation: "What if I didn't have that? What if I didn't have access to great health care? What if I was a mom just sitting there and there was something wrong with my baby and there was nothing I could do about it?"
She felt that there were mothers out there that didn't have the luxuries she did, and wanted to help.
Goals and services
In a letter from the foundation's official website, Jennifer discussed their main goal, which was to "dramatically increase the availability of quality health care and health education for women and children, regardless of their ability to pay."
She also wrote that the foundation was important for bringing a "greater sense of security and well-being to under-served and under-privileged communities."
The foundation will help parents who don't have access to medical services and health care facilities, and therefore can't be informed about critical child and health care topics.
It works with Telemedicine clinics abroad and near to increase healthcare for serious cases.
The
Telemedicine program consists of digital equipment and video conference stations that will allow doctors to interact with their patients in other locations, to come up with a diagnosis and plan a treatment.
This includes regular consultations in cases of emergency, transportation of data and emergency updates.
Additionally, the foundation has partnered with multiple hospitals and organizations which are "dedicated to making positive changes in communities" around the world.
History
At the Noche de Niños gala in May 2009, Jennifer unveiled a song dedicated to her twins entitled "One Step at a Time" which was used as promotion for the foundation. In the
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
, she sings: "Let's keep this time for us and make it last as long as we can. It's already going too fast."
In June 2010, Jennifer and Marc Anthony performed at the annual
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
's Four Seasons of Ninth Gala to raise money for the foundation.
CS Choi, present and CEO of
Samsung Electronics America was "thrilled" about their appearance, finding it "especially encouraging" to see business partners and entertainers come together to "benefit children’s lives through The Maribel Foundation and our Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope charities."
Of the performance, Lopez stated: "Marc and I are honored to participate in Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope gala because of Samsung’s reputation for being an exceptionally generous corporate citizen." Anthony noted that through Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope program, "valuable" funds could be raised to "further the affordability and availability of services and facilities to both women and children." Additionally, Anthony praised the partnership between Samsung and the foundation.
Jennifer is featured in an advertisement for the foundation's partnership with Samsung and
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
. Jennifer and Lynda appeared on the ''
Larry King Live
''Larry King Live'' was an American television talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was the channel's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly.
Mainly aired from CNN's Los Angeles s ...
'' television show on June 18, 2010 for publicity of the foundation.
On October 25, 2011, the foundation received a $500,000 donation pledge from Samsung and Best Buy. In 2012, The Maribel Foundation's name was changed to the 'Lopez Family Foundation'. As of March 2012, American businessman
Ray Dalio
Raymond Thomas Dalio (born August 8, 1949) is an American billionaire investor and hedge fund manager, who has served as co-chief investment officer of the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, since 1985. He founded Bridgewater in ...
has donated $775,000 to the foundation, making him their largest contributor. In July 2012, Jennifer visited
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
as part of the first leg of her
Dance Again World Tour
Dance Again World Tour was the first worldwide concert tour by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez. Throughout the majority of her music career, beginning in 1999, a world tour by Lopez was anticipated, though it never materialized. Following t ...
. She took time out to visit the Panama Children's Hospital with Lynda, where they donated medical equipment. They also attended a ceremony where Jennifer gave a speech and explained: "Having this foundation that provides medical assistance is truly a blessing because it gives us the chance to offer health care and education to thousands of people".
In the press release, The Lopez Family Foundation announced that the equipment consists of seven telemedicine systems which will be installed in multiple pediatric centers around Panama.
Through
Charitybuzz
Charitybuzz is an internet company which raises funds for nonprofit organizations through online charity auctions with celebrities and brands. Auction experiences include music, entertainment, business, politics, sports, art, fashion and othe ...
, the foundation holds bids to meet Lopez during her tour. That October, the sisters attended the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
(United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization) Charity gala in
Düsseldorf, Germany where the foundation was honored with the 'Pyramide con Marni award'.
In 2013, the Lopez Family Foundation was named the winner of the
American Telemedicine Association
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA), established in 1993, is a non-profit organization whose goal is to promote access to medical care for consumers and health professionals via telecommunications technology (alternatively referred to a ...
(ATA) Humanitarian Award. In honor of this win, Joel E. Barthelemy, Founder and Managing Director of GlobalMed, presented Lopez with a $50,000 check to support the foundation. Barthelemy stated, "The Lopez Family Foundation is an amazing organization that is giving the opportunity for quality healthcare to families and children in areas that need it the most."
In 2014 the Lopez Family Foundation partnered with the
Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore Medical Center is a premier academic medical center and the primary teaching hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York City. Its main campus, the Henry and Lucy Moses Division, is located in the Norwoo ...
to create the Center for a Healthy Childhood.
[Bob Kappstatter, "J.Lo, Monte team up for health" Bronx Times Reporter, May 16th, 2014, p. 6.]
References
{{Jennifer Lopez
Children's health-related organizations
Organizations established in 2009