The Taylor Family Foundation gives back to Northern California families in need

SAN FRANCISCO -- For over 30 years, The Taylor Family Foundation has enhanced the quality of life for children living with life-threatening and chronic illnesses throughout Northern California. What started as a simple fundraiser in the backyard of Barry and Elaine Taylor's home in 1990, to help children living with HIV/AIDS, has turned into much more. The nonprofit provides children and families therapeutic recreation, specialized support and resources while sending 3,000 children to camp every year, for free.

"We're really well known for camp. That's what everybody thinks we do, but that is only a piece of our Wellness Program. There are eight Wellness Programs in total. There's the Urgent Need Fund for families who are struggling, whether it be with medical bills, or rent or utilities, or an insurance payment needs to be caught up," says Elaine Taylor.

TTFF supported The Wingen Family as they cared for their daughter, Waylynn, who suffered from Zellweger Syndrome. She passed away at 8 months old.

"Not knowing how we're going to pay rent or get groceries, you know it would have added immense stress to our daily life when we were already in survival mode every single day with our daughter. I just can't even put into words how much that helped us," says Aimee Wingen.

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The Wingen family was also part of the Music Therapy program that brought joy during difficult times.

"It was a really special part of our day, we really looked forward to having those moments. Waylynn would be sleeping a lot of the time with seizures and other things, but when music therapy happened you could see her eyes light up," says Bryan Wingen.

Elaine remembers, "When Barry and I started this, we both had this nonprofit mentality, so we took our collective wisdom and used it to help our neighbors and our communities. And so it became our family."

Help support The Taylor Family Foundation by visiting, https://ttff.org/