Our 2024 version of the 12 Days of Christmas began with our annual pre-Thanksgiving delivery of holiday food — turkeys with all the trimming and traditional accompaniments —
to St. Francis Inn in the Kensington section of Philadelphia (2439 Kensington Ave.). This year’s donation was made in fond memory of the ministry’s Sister Leslie, who passed away in October 2024.

Sister Leslie was a wonderful, kind and selfless human being. She always gave us the warmest of greetings and made us feel very welcomed during our annual visit during the holidays. In the group photo taken outside St. Frances, Rob Baer is holding up a photo of Sister Leslie.

St. Francis Inn is a Franciscan, Eucharistic community mission called to compassionately care for the poor and homeless of Philadelphia. Formed in the spirit of the Gospel and inspired by the life and compassion of Francis and Clare of Assisi, the center focuses to meet the immediate daily human needs of the people they serve with food, season-appropriate clothing and hospitality.

Furthermore, St. Francis Inn strives year-round to empower persons to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty and address structural injustices. We seek to build relationships with those whom we serve by respecting their human dignity, by helping them to restore hope in their lives, and by living simply among them.

Each year since the creation of the 12 Days of Christmas giving program, the Flyers Alumni have made a holiday season donation to the Samuel Busansky Upper Elementary School (Pemberton, NJ) toward the school’s annual holiday toy drive for families in need. The school and its toy drive have special meaning to the Kelly family, as Bob’s wife Stacey was a longtime teacher at Busansky. On Dec. 11, 2023, the Hound and Stacey presented a $2,000 donation to the school on behalf of the Flyers Alumni Association.

Along with our annual St. Frances Inn holiday food donation, the Busansky school is one of two annual 12 Days recipients. The others change from year to year.

On Day 4 of the Flyers Alumni’s 2024 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, Brad Marsh and Joe Watson presented a $5,000 donation to Hope for Hallie. Based in Swarthmore, PA, founders Kevin and Chrissie Jackson created the charity in loving memory of their daughter Hallie. The organization, much like the Do It for Daron program that Flyers Alum Luke Richardson and wife Stephanie formed in Canada in 2011 in memory of their daughter, does yeoman work to raise awareness of mental health issues, fight the related stigmas and educate the public about depression and suicide.

“We lost our beautiful 16-year-old daughter, Hallie, to suicide back in 2019, just prior to COVID. We established Hope for Hallie in her name. We connect struggling youths to therapy and then pay for their treatment. The Flyers Alumni as a whole, and Joe in particular, have been simply incredible,” Kevin Jackson said.

Throughout the year, Hope for Hallie works to provide public education with information, access to potentially life-saving resources. It also is an outlet that connects families into a community support system.

“Losing a child or seeing them suffer is every parent and grandparent’s worst nightmare. It affects people from all walks of life and economic levels. No one is immune. Meeting with Kevin and Chrissie, who are amazing and strong people, was very powerful and moving,” Marsh said.

To learn more about Hope for Hope Hallie’s mission, events calendar and donation opportunities — or to connect to help for a loved one or yourself, please visit their official site (https://hopeforhallie.org/), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/hopeforhallie), Chrissie’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBHZP8rIXoxLXdUsa-1wmlA) and X/Twitter page (https://x.com/hopeforhallie).

Additionally, look for an upcoming full-length article on the Jackson family and Hallie’s legacy.

Several years ago during our 12 Days of Christmas, the Flyers Alumni worked with the Sunshine Foundation to sponsor Madilyn and enable her dream of going to Disney World to come true. In this year’s edition,  Flyers Alumni Association present presented a $5,000 contribution to Sunshine Foundation president Kate Sample in sponsorship of Philadelphia native Hunter.

Hunter. who has level 3 severe autism, has always wanted to go to Disney World to meet Mickey Mouse and go on the water rides. That wish will become a reality.

“The families we serve cannot have annual household income over $75,000 so for Hunter this  may be a once in a lifetime dream come true not just for him yet also his family as well,” Sample said.

Added Marsh, “The timing was perfect. It feels so rewarding for the Alumni to bring happiness to people during the 12 Days, and the Sunshine Foundation is an organization we’ve worked with before In fact, the Alumni and Sunshine Foundation go way back together, to my own playing days. When you go to their offices, there are pictures from that history with Alumni such as Brian Propp. So there’s a natural fit for 12 Days.”

On Day 6 of the 2024 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, Flyers Hall of Famer Brian Propp presented a $3,000 contribution from the Flyers Alumni Association to Penn Stroke Centers neurology director Dr. Scott Kasner. A stroke survivor himself, “Propper” is an ardent supporter of the Center and advocate for stroke patients.

Penn Stroke Centers are committed to being leaders providing a high-quality, safe stroke care. The care team includes highly skilled neurologists, neurosurgeons, and emergency medicine providers who work together to administer excellent patient care and improve recovery. Our hospitals are recognized by both JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines for stroke care.