Project Jason/Jolkowski Family Announcement for June 13, 2008

[Kelly]

June 13, 2008 marked seven years since the mysterious and tragic disappearance of Jason Jolkowski, the namesake of our organization. His 27th birthday was June 24th.

In honor of Jason, his birthday and his generous spirit, we have launched a fundraising campaign. The birthday present image you see on this page will be used to show our progress toward the goal of raising $2,700 by October 6th, the 5th anniversary of Project Jason.

You will find a quick reference to Project Jason's accomplishments and information about how we utilize donations by continuing to scroll down in this thread.


Please feel free to forward this information.

What follows is a letter written by Jason's mother, Kelly, marking this sad occasion:

Dear Jason,

We love you and miss you. It's been seven years since we last saw your face and heard your gentle laugh. Wherever you are, you're now a grown man. You were just a young adult when you were last with us, working to find your place in this life.  

The month of June is such a trying time of year. You disappeared without a trace on June 13th, 2001. Sometimes it seems as if it was just yesterday. The great fear and pounding of our hearts when we discovered something was very wrong is a feeling we'll never forget. We waited and hoped that you'd walk in the door a moment later and that the whole awful event would be over, but that didn't happen. Seven years later, it feels as if it never may end, and that we may have to wait for our life after this world to see you again. Even so, we will always have hope to find you sooner, and that you will be with us again. Love always hopes, and we have hearts full of both.

Father's Day and my birthday were also events of that fateful month, and without you, those dates seemed meaningless.

June 24th is your 27th birthday. It would be so wonderful to be able to buy you a gift and sing Happy Birthday to you, even in our funny, off-key way. There is so much that we've all missed. If you are still with us, you could be married and have children. You may have graduated from college and be pursuing a career. So many life events which normally happen with someone of your age may have passed by. We hope and pray that you haven't been cheated of the life you were meant to live.

We feel that somehow, you are aware of how life has changed for us in your absence. Your little brother has grown up now and works with your dad. He misses you so.

Because of you, we were called to reach out and help others who have fallen victim to this tragic circumstance. We passed a law in your name here in Nebraska, and then we created a nonprofit organization named after you, Project Jason. We've helped find other missing people, including a son who was missing for 14 years, and a sister missing for seven. We wish we could find you, but rest assured son, we won't stop trying.

We were blessed to have you with us for nineteen years. You taught us so much, especially about generosity and kindness. You never told us these things, but we found out from those who knew you. You took it upon yourself to help a handicapped boy at school to get from class to class. You sang a rap in front of the whole school to help your friend get elected to the student council, even though you are shy and quiet. We saw for ourselves how you would literally run to open the door for elderly people, or help someone across the street.

Because of these things and more, we know you would want us to do the work we do to help other families of missing persons. In honor of your 27th birthday, and we know you would approve, we are asking for donations to your name sake organization. It's been a struggle these past seven years without you, and also in founding the organization and accomplishing what we know we could. With the support of others who care, we will achieve more for these suffering families and help to reunite them with their missing loved ones.

We're going to ask, dear Jason, that each person reading this consider donating $27 in your name to Project Jason. Realizing there are many who truly can't afford to do this, perhaps some who can, will donate an additional $27. We have a goal to reach $2,700 by October 6th, which will be the 5th anniversary of the founding of Project Jason.

For those who wish to help, they can mail their donation to Project Jason, PO Box 3035, Omaha, NE 68103, OR go to our website, www.projectjason.org, and click on the PayPal button at the bottom of the page. We'll also show the progress towards the October goal on the "birthday present" image shown on the bottom of the main page of our website.

It will be wonderful to be able to affect even more families in your name, Jason. The greatest gift of all would be to have you back in our lives, but if that is not to be, we will continue on with our work with the help and support of the kind people of the world, people just like you.

Love Always,
Mom, Dad, and Michael


Kelly and Jason, all those years ago

[Kelly]

Project Jason Quick Facts:

Did you know that......

Project Jason has distributed more than 14,500 personal ID kits, including a Spanish translation?

Project Jason has faciliated the distribution of more than 50,000 posters nationwide through their various poster campaigns?

Project Jason has given out more than 4,750 missing person photo buttons through their Adopt a Missing Person program?

Project Jason has mentored several volunteers to action and passed legislation in 6 states that positively effect missing persons cases?

Project Jason has served over 400 families since their inception in 2003?

Project Jason, in partnership with Target Media, places information about 4 missing persons each month in national trucking magazines which have circulations of 150,000 each?

Project Jason has had a direct impact in the location of numerous missing persons, including a teen missing for 2 years, a sister missing for 7, and a son missing for 14?

Project Jason recently began a new program placing photos and information of missing persons on bus benches?

Project Jason is the first and only assistance organization to offer free, professional counseling online with one of the nation's leading counselors?

Project Jason was the first nonprofit of its type to open an office in the popular virtual world, Second Life, bringing the cause of the missing to a new audience, telling the stories of the missing in an intimate and intriguing style?

We are depending on your generosity to help us continue our work, the work done in our son's name.

To see how you can help, please see http://www.projectjason.org/help.html

[Kelly]

What does Project Jason do with your donation?

Project Jason is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization and does not utilize paid fundraisers or other employees. There is no overhead as the volunteers work out of their homes. Every effort is made to stretch each dollar to the fullest.

Ongoing costs include monthly telephone and long distance, website space and domain names, PO box, paper, ink, postage, and related office supplies, poster, ID kits, and brochure printing costs, and fees to keep IRS documentation current.

Funding allows us to purchase visual aids for the families of the missing, such as posters, and photo buttons. Families of the missing are never charged for any of our services. Previous funding has also allowed us to ensure that staff who work directly with the families of the missing have had the proper training to provide appropriate support and services to those whom we serve.

Future funding will enable us to continue to add new awareness programs to aid in the location of missing persons. It will ensure we are able to obtain the tools and technology neccesary to begin and maintain these programs. Funding, both private and corporate, is needed to be able to expand and continue our bus bench program.

Plans are also underway to host a family member retreat in 2010. With appropriate funding, we will be able to decrease costs for the family members to attend this retreat and ensure that we offer the highest quality experience of aiding the minds, bodies, and spirits of the family members during this retreat.

If you have any questions about donations, sponsorships, or the organization, please email us at information@projectjason.org

All donations are tax deductible. Project Jason is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization.

[Kelly]

A Call for Corporate and Private Sponsors:

Project Jason is planning the first retreat for families of missing persons. The weekend retreat, planned for June 12-14 2009, is designed to help heal the bodies, minds, and spirits of those families affected by a missing family member. Other conferences deal effectively with disseminating information about the legal and social implications of missing persons and what actions to take.

This retreat is, instead, is designed specifically to help the families understand the effects of shock on the body and the emotional issues attached. The weekend retreat will provide psychological counseling, lectures about coping mechanisms, and therapy for the body as well.

Since dealing with a missing person can often deplete financial resources, our desire is that this retreat will be completely free to families who want to attend.

Can you help? We need only $18,000 to give this gift to all the families who plan to attend.

Inquiries should go to Kelly Jolkowski at kelly.jolkowski@projectjason.org

[Kathylene]

Please help us fill Jason's 27th Birthday Campaign

Please click on the donor wall twice to view.

[Kelly]

Hello to our friends and supporters,
 
We thought you'd like to hear an update on Jason's 27th Bithday Campaign. It's surpassing our expectations, and we're very pleased. The momentum has now slowed down, so it's also a good time to renew interest in the campaign as well as to let you know the progress.
 
It is imperative to pass along this message via email to those who might be moved to help. Since we're a small organization without a budget for traditional advertising, we need your help to spread the word.  Even if you can't afford to help, please forward an email on our behalf. Every effort is important.  

For those who have already helped, your contribution is most appreciated. Thank you! Letters of thanks that may be used as documentation for your 2008 federal income taxes will be sent out soon. 
 
There is a donor wall on our new Birthday Campaign page here: http://www.projectjason.org/birthdayCampaign.html 
 
While it would appear certain we will make our original goal, an reassessment of our overall needs dictate that we continue to work on the Campaign and obliterate that goal.
 
In late August, we have plans for rolling out our latest awareness program. Our goal is for this new program to have a large impact in awareness for the missing persons whose families we serve. We'll also debut a new member of the Project Jason family who will have an impact on the safety area of our mission statement. Be watching for announcements of these new events, made possible by the success of the Campaign.
 
This fall, the board of directors will be making decisions about pricing for our 1st retreat for family members of missing persons to be held next June. The success of the Campaign will play a huge role in the determination of pricing. We have a new webpage about the retreat here: http://www.projectjason.org/retreat.html   We would like nothing better than to offer the retreat at no cost, but that would require coporate sponsorships, which historically is not easy to obtain for niche organizations. We're still working on this outreach, and if you have any strong leads on this, let us know.
 
As always, our best to you and yours,
 
Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Please help us with Jason's Birthday Campaign:
http://www.projectjason.org/birthdayCampaign.html

[Kelly]

We are pleased to announce the final results of Jason�s Birthday Campaign. With the help of 118 generous people, we shattered the campaign goal and brought in $6193.66!  We are moved beyond words at this demonstration of support for our cause and for the families we serve.  As we said in the original campaign letter to Jason, the organization�s namesake, missing for more than seven years now:

�It will be wonderful to be able to affect even more families in your name, Jason. The greatest gift of all would be to have you back in our lives, but if that is not to be, we will continue on with our work with the help and support of the kind people of the world, people just like you.�

And so we will.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

The staff of Project Jason and the family of Jason Jolkowski

* All donors will receive a thank you letter to use when preparing their 2008 federal income taxes.