The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation (ARVF) honors a very special person, by serving an equally special purpose. A courageous young lady who lost her battle with cancer at age 17 Alicia Rose DiNatale’s legacy lives on through the organization bearing her name.
Alicia’s parents, Mario and Gisele DiNatale, created the Foundation to give hospitalized teens something to smile about.
That’s where Alicia’s Art Carts come in! Filled to the brim with supplies, there are now a total of 9 Alicia’s Art Carts rolling the halls of hospitals in communities throughout the country—with more to come—thanks to a partnership with Safelite AutoGlass.
In May 2018, Ft. Worth Safelite associates assembled and presented an Alicia’s Art Cart to Cook Children’s in Ft. Worth, Texas. On Wednesday, August 22, the Little Rock Safelite team followed suit by building and presenting an Alicia’s Art Cart earmarked for teens at their local hospital.
Quality Manager Gabe Stillman and Technician Greg Humphreys assembled the cart, while Customer Advocate Crystal Burton headed up the supplies drive to get it fully stocked.
“Building the cart, knowing what it was going to be used for, made me feel great,” Gabe said.
Photo: Representatives from Safelite AutoGlass, partners of the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation, attended the recent “Alicia’s Art Cart” unveiling at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Pictured (left to right): Brookes Kitterman, Hank Ford, Chris Gant, Crystal Burton, Gabe Stillman, John Rountree, Peter Hicks, and Cathy Stripp. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Children's Hospital)
“We were excited about the chance to give back to Arkansas Children’s. They play such a vital role in our state and have been a blessing to my family as well,” Super Center Manager Hank Ford said.
Hank shared that his personal connection with the hospital makes the Alicia’s Art Cart program even more meaningful for him.
“My youngest grandson has been receiving treatment there over the last year, and our support of this project has allowed me to give back to the hospital that has meant a lot to my family,” he shared. “The staff there is the best, and we are grateful to them for all they do.”
District Manager John Rountree shared Hank’s feelings that it was an honor and a privilege to be part of this program.
“The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation and Arkansas Children’s both do great work, and the faces of the nurses and staff members made all the difference in the world to me,” he said. “It was obvious that they love working with the kids and giving that ‘home’ feeling that they miss by being under hospital care.”
Safelite Solutions Vice President Client Sales & Support Gary Strain is a longtime friend of the DiNatale family, and he felt privileged to join the ARVF Board of Trustees as Vice Chairman four years ago.
That relationship led to Safelite partnering with ARVF. “I’m very excited that we’re supporting a cause that means so much to me,” Gary shared. “Alicia’s Art Carts brighten often difficult days for the kids who benefit from them, and it makes me feel very good that Safelite will continue to sponsor this program.”
As for the Arkansas market, they’ve expressed their dedication to keeping the cart stocked with supplies going forward. “This was absolutely great from start to finish. ARVF Program Coordinator Bridget Murray was a joy to work with and the staff at Arkansas Children’s was incredible.”
Bridget was also delighted by Safelite’s gift. “The level of care and excitement the Little Rock Safelite Team put into this program has been truly remarkable,” she said. “We could not have imagined better support and truly appreciate everyone’s efforts aiding this incredible cause and program. Alicia’s Art Cart will be a wonderful addition to Arkansas Children’s Teen Lounge, which our Foundation also supports.”
For more information about Alicia’s Art Cart, visit www.victoriousfoundation.org/artcart.
Source article written and published by Safelite AutoGlass The Wire.
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About Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation
Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation (ARVF, Corp.) is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization founded in 2002. ARVF is dedicated in providing age-appropriate Victorious 4 Teens programs, for hospitalized teens and young adults, battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Since inception, over $2.5m has been dedicated to Victorious 4 Teens programs, including funding 65 Teen Lounges, located at children’s hospitals in 38 states across the country. ARVF also distributes over 2000 Teen Kits & Bandana Pillows to hospitalized teens and young adults. For more information about ARVF and to find out how you can help hospitalized teens, visit www.victoriousfoundation.org.