Dennis and Lynne Crimi established the Jennifer Crimi Sunshine Fund as a way to continue to share the light their daughter brought to each of them and to her global community. The fund was started with life insurance proceeds that had been left to them by their daughter. The family thought long and hard about how to put the money to work for a cause that would emulate her life and make her proud.
“Most of the photographs we had of Jenn had two things in common – they were shot outdoors, and she always had the biggest smile on her face … like a ray of sunshine,” said Lynne. “We coupled that with her love of children and created the Jennifer Crimi Sunshine Fund,” remembers Dennis. The Community Foundation facilitates their grantmaking and connects the family to new programs and services that meet their giving criteria.
Jennifer never wasted a minute of her precious life. Hers was a life jam-packed with adventure and spirituality. The Crimis take comfort in knowing that through their loss, Jennifer’s life has served a greater purpose and her legacy is honored every year by helping dozens of kids, most from the inner city, experience outdoor adventures at various camps including Beaver Cross, Samaritan Rensselaer Discovery Camp, KidsFirst Childcare Center, and Camp Little Notch.