Lopez Family Foundation
 |
|
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Founder |
Jennifer Lopez Lynda Lopez |
| Type | Foundation |
| Location |
|
| Slogan | Empowering Women and Children |
| Website | lopezfamilyfoundation |
|
Formerly called
|
The Maribel Foundation |
The Lopez Family Foundation is an American nonprofit organization founded by sisters, Jennifer Lopez and Lynda Lopez 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 and the Telemedicine program to develop 'The Maribel Foundation'. It was named after Jennifer's then-husband Marc Anthony's sister Maribel, who died due to a brain cancer at age 8. While also partnering with companies such as Samsung and Best Buy, 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.
At the annual The Women's Conference 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 discussedinformation about the 'The Maribel Foundation'. The Lopez sisters partnered with the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles to provide services for the less fortunate.
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's sister Maribel who died after being diagnosed with a brain tumor 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.
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