Eric was born on November 04, 1987 with cerebellar-pontine hypoplasia, which is an underdeveloped brain. When he was diagnosed, the prediction was that he would never walk, never talk, and die by the age of ten. The first two predictions were accurate, but Eric lived more than twice as long as expected. He went to be with the Lord on June 13, 2012.
Though Eric had to endure many hardships living in a body which was not capable of the most basic functions, he always had a safe place to live, good nutrition (through a feeding tube), clean water, a free public education from age 3 to 21, and people who loved him and cared for him. These are things which all children need, and helping to provide these things for other children is a way of honoring Eric's life.
Mike is retired from over 20 years in the IUPAT Union, where he worked as a Drywall Finisher. Before joining the union, he worked in the medical laboratory field.
Mike not only brings valuable construction experience to the foundation, but a knowledge of sustainable farming practices.
He is an avid hiker, birder, and enjoys all things nature-related.
Ken attended Trenton State College for electrical engineering. Having developed a groundbreaking cloud based GUI for the automotive aftermarket, Ken is now Enterprise Architect and Data Center Manager for Partswatch Solutions, LLC .
Ken plays guitar on the worship team and in a band named Salt of the Earth. He is a licensed ham radio operator, loves hiking, and is a fan of Sci-Fi, chess, investing, cars and pickup trucks.
Perry Ditch is the band director at White Oak High School in Jacksonville, NC, where his Jazz Ensemble was recently selected to perform in the New York City Jazz Festival.
Perry created the Cheery Education Centre Music Project to provide instruments and Skype music lessons to students in the Kibera slum outside Nairobi, Kenya. He has visited the school twice, personally delivering many of the instruments. (Read More)
Sue Gannon attended The New York School of Interior Design, and has also worked in the field of web design. She built a successful business as a top level distributor for an International Nutrition Company, helping people improve their health and build their own home-based businesses.
Sue volunteers at a local soup kitchen. She developed the sponsorship programs for for Cheery Children Education Centre in Kibera, Kenya and raised funds to build Star Campus School in Uganda. She created the Eric LaRosa Memorial Foundation to honor the memory of her son Eric, who taught her countless lessons in caring for those in need.
Wendy Bentson graduated from The King’s College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and worked as a Social Worker at Emerson Convalescent Center.
In the years following, Wendy changed careers and taught kindergarten at Northwest Christian School, in Sussex County, New Jersey, where she now continues as a substitute teacher.
Wendy has been involved in several ministries at her church, including women’s and children’s ministries. She currently volunteers at her church in the role of administrative support.
Barbara is a Senior Business Analyst for PartsWatch Solutions, where she designs and writes cloud-based Windows software specifications on the leading edge of today's technology.
In addition to her system knowledge and experience in the automotive aftermarket, Barbara is head of video production and produces system training videos.
For many years, Barbara also cared for her mother and elderly aunt, who lived with her until their passing at ages 97 and 98. She now directs that caring attitude to her volunteer work at a local soup kitchen where she serves on a regular basis and also helps prepare and serve Christmas dinner each year.
Copyright © 2019 Eric LaRosa Memorial Foundation - All Rights Reserved. We are a 501(C)(3) Public Charity, Incorporated in the State of New Jersey effective December 19, 2018. The Eric LaRosa Memorial Foundation shall have control and discretion as to the use of all contributions received. REVENUE RULING 66-79 IRS 1966-1 C.B. 48; 63-252, C.B. 1963-2, 101.
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