Kerry Peck and Diana Law in front of the White House

Here at Law ElderLaw, I like to refer to our team as the ‘Teddy Bear Lawyers.”  On the other hand, my dear friend Kerry Peck is a man who I happily refer to as the “Grizzly Bear Lawyer.” He is at Cook County Courthouse every day that it is open.  Kerry is much more than a great courtroom attorney—he is a wonderful human being!  Recently, my daughter, Attorney Diana Law, wrote the following letter about Mr. Peck:

“Kerry R. Peck is not only an extraordinary attorney, but he is an extraordinary human being.  He and his law firm are known for passionate advocacy, leadership in the legal and civic community, and holistic representation.  The firm Peck Bloom strives to fulfill their motto of “Winning Solutions In and Out of the Courtroom.”

Mr. Peck represents clients who are emotionally drained and vulnerable. They may have just lost a loved one; or received a devastating medical diagnosis; or they are trying to protect the rights of their child with disabilities; or they are embroiled in tumultuous familial conflicts while administering a contested trust or estate.  Despite this, he provides his clients with dignity, unequalled representation, and superb service.  He meets his clients where they are, and he appreciates their need for compassion and empathy.

Mr. Peck is not afraid of hard work, both physically and mentally.  He has a unique ability to take what he has learned from law books and his experience and merge them into a vigorous representation of his clients.

Mr. Peck is a man of impeccable character who inspires me and others to be committed to professionalism and integrity.  As a young elder law attorney who is fortunate enough to call Kerry my mentor, I have turned to him with many questions concerning the interplay between ethics and my clients’ particular needs and circumstances.  He is an amazing sounding board and teacher.  He not only teaches me the correct technical answers, but also how these answers will affect the lives of the people we serve. He constantly opens my eyes to a much bigger picture then I would have seen before.  If we all navigated by his moral compass, we would never lose our way.

Mr. Peck has dedicated his life to serving others and championing the rights of the elderly and persons with disabilities.  He is sought after by our local and state governments to advise judges and legislators on the laws affecting the elderly, including writing the State of Illinois “Elder Abuse and Neglect Act.”

Despite the myriad hours Mr. Peck has clocked to serve his clients and the profession, he makes time to serve the community through civic, charitable, and religious organizations.  The commitment and dedication Mr. Peck demonstrates to bar associations and community organizations is the same commitment and dedication he shows to his family and clients.  I must also mention Mr. Peck’s unparalleled generosity.  He is a man who freely gives of his time, talents, and finances to those who are in need.

Lastly, I have seen Mr. Peck in both personal and professional settings, and I admire the way he speaks to everyone with respect and good humor—whether it is a CEO or a waiter at the restaurant table.”

We highly recommend Kerry Peck, Esq. and the fine legal team of Peck Bloom, when and if you are seeking excellent legal counsel for probate, guardianship, estate planning, or disability planning in Cook County.

Kerry Peck and Diana Law at a NAELA function

Rick Law and granddaughter Lucy with "Biker Chick" Kate

Do you enjoy a chance to act like a kid again?  I sure do!  Recently I received an invitation to a Halloween party at Heritage Woods in Yorkville, Illinois.  My friend, Jane Johnson, is the marketing maven there.  Heritage Woods of Yorkville is a supportive living facility (SLF), more commonly known as an assisted living facility.  Residents of SLFs need a little help from someone with their everyday activities of daily living.

I gathered up my costume and my four-year-old granddaughter Lucy and we headed off for the party.  Lucy was dressed up as Belle, who is better known as the “Beauty” in Walt Disney’s movie Beauty and the Beast.  Lucy was my date for the big party.

Lucy with "Three Grandmas"

When we arrived, we were greeted by the residents, the staff, and families, many of whom were dressed in holiday costumes.  As with most parties, it was lots of fun and there were way too many good things to eat!  Heritage Woods had a whole day of events.  The staff competed in a chili cook-off—the savory recipes were submitted by members of the local police and fire departments.  Not surprisingly, the dietary manager won first place.  (That seems to hint at the idea that the residents eat mighty fine!)  In second place was my friend Jane Johnson, the marketing director.  She had prepared her favorite “white chili with brown turkey” recipe.

First Place winner Joan with the Heritage director of nursing

More than 75 residents ate chili, listened to music, and enjoyed the ice cream sundae bar.  After lunch there was music and even dancing.  All the employees were dressed in costumes.  Norma, who was dressed as “the scarecrow”, was voted first place for staff costumes.  The best resident costume was won by Joan, who was dressed as a witch.  The pictures in this blog tell the story much better than words.

Norma the Heritage Woods Scarecrow

The only thing that surprised me was that many of the residents left the hubbub in mid-afternoon so they could catch a nap and refresh before dinner.  But a great time was had by all!  Thank you, Jane, for inviting me to a fun-filled afternoon at Heritage Woods of Yorkville.

We all like to save money—especially on legal matters.  Millions of people are now using do-it-yourself online legal form services like www.legalzoom.com.  To check it out, I went there, too. Their home page proudly raves, “Save time and money… created by top attorneys… helps you create reliable legal documents… we even review your answers and guarantee your satisfaction.”  There is even a testimonial from an attorney who says, “As an attorney, I have been pleasantly surprised with the ease and efficiency of legalzoom.”

What is not as obvious, at the very bottom of the home page, is their disclaimer of liability.  Go ahead and  scroll down to the bottom of the page—you’ll see the disclaimer in very light print. It states:

“The information provided in this site is not legal advice, but general information on legal issues commonly encountered.  Legalzoom’s legal document service is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney or law firm.  Legalzoom cannot provide legal advice and can only provide self-help services at your specific direction.  Please note that your access to and use of legalzoom is subject to additional terms and conditions.”

The words “additional terms and conditions’ is a hot-link that if you click on it will take you to an even longer disclaimer! The disclaimer guts all of the assurances of reliability and suitability of use that you may have assumed were part of the “actual review of your answers and guarantee of satisfaction.”  YOU ARE THE “LAWYER” WHO CHOOSES THE LEGAL FORM!

If you decide to be your own lawyer, please understand that  legalzoom has the best of all worlds.  They advertise that they will provide you with the best form of your choosing and save you money—but if you ever have a problem because of that document, they’re not responsible.  You are the one who made the decision about which legal document was right for you and your circumstances.

Just yesterday in a meeting with a client, that client exclaimed, “Wow, I never knew that there were so many things to think about in our estate planning.”  I responded, “You know, that’s what most people say when it comes to estate planning, disability, Medicaid, or veteran’s benefits.  You don’t do this work every day, so you just can’t know all of the issues.”

The real value of what any professional counselor does is listen to your description of your circumstances and goals, and then choose the best course of action.

There is an old story about a factory which shut down due to an equipment failure.  The owner of the factory called a renowned expert to rush to the factory to get things moving. The owner told him, “This shutdown is costing us $100,000 per day!”  The expert arrived, walked around the faulty machine, then took out a screwdriver and adjusted a thing or two.  Within moments the machine came back to life and the factory began to hum with activity.  The owner was thrilled—until he was given a bill for $10,000.  He roared, “But it took you less than 10 minutes to fix the machine—it cannot possibly cost $10,000!”  The expert calmly responded, “No, it took me a lifetime to know exactly where and how to use that screwdriver.  The bill is $10,000—but the value to you is $100,000 per day.”

Moral of the story:  The right solution for the circumstances often requires a lifetime of preparation.

Shown left to right: Linda Drake, Herb Holderman, Tammy Anderson, and Steve “Scooter” Scoughton

This is a story about heroes who serve heroes—our veterans of the armed forces.

I first met the dedicated warriors of the Veteran’s Assistance Commission of DeKalb County, Illinois (DeKalb VAC) when they visited our law firm, Law Elder Law LLP recently.  The DeKalb VAC provide a full range of services related to veteran’s benefits.  I wanted to get to know them, because we need a knowledgeable source of VA benefit information in order to serve our clients with excellence.  We deal with an important “sliver” of the VA benefits panorama; we often provide free advice to  wartime veterans who are over 65 regarding the VA “aid and attendance” long term care benefit.

Interestingly, even though the State of Illinois has authorized counties to create Veteran’s Assistance Commissions, most counties  have not provided funds to actually fulfill that all-important task.  Here in the Chicago metro area we are fortunate to have several county veteran’s assistance commissions.  Herb Holderman, Steve “Scooter” Scoughton, Linda Drake, and Tammy Anderson are the knowledgeable and caring team who  help “needy and/or disabled veterans” at the DeKalb VAC.

Today, the DeKalb VAC serves several hundred veterans every year—but it has not always been there for veteran’s needs.  The story of the founding of the DeKalb VAC is a testimony to the power of democracy, a great idea, and the focused persistence of honest men and women with servant’s hearts.  Herb Holderman and other community leaders worked together to bring the organization into existence.  Herb is now the superintendent—but he worked behind the scenes for years and was the driving force that brought life to the DeKalb VAC.   After many years of trying to convince the political powers that there should be a Veteran’s Assistance Commission there, in 2003 Herb and the grassroots group were finally allowed to file a special tax referendum.  The goal was to create a taxing district which would fund the veteran’s service organization.  As you can imagine, the likelihood of passing a new tax seemed remote.  Yet with the help of local veterans’ groups and other concerned citizens, they raised the  battle flag and fought for support.  The idea proved to be so popular that the referendum passed by a 76%  “yes vote”—what a victory!

Today, only a few years later, they work to serve veterans from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan.  Their job is to help provide veterans with shelter assistance, food, utilities, transportation to medical appointments, and information about educational and vocational rehabilitation benefits.

When I asked what they thought was the most important part of their work, each one had a different perspective.  Scooter responded that he enjoys creating close personal relationships with veterans and those who work at the VA hospitals and other principal service providers. That is his way to providing veterans with even greater access to benefits.  Tammy shared that she believes that it’s her goal to be both a helper and a listener; she wants to provide the veteran with both patience and compassion.  Tammy added, “The Vietnam veterans were treated really badly.  I tell them that I am here to fight for them.”  Veterans Service Officer Linda loves her job, and her only regret is that she is not a veteran herself.  She feels honored to be doing the job of helping brave men and women with VA benefit assistance.  Then Herb, the superintendent summarized this way: “Our veterans are proud, and they want to be able to stand on their own.  When it gets to the point that they might lose their home, they come in to see us with tears in their eyes.  Our job is to help them so that they can keep it all together.” Then he quietly stated, “Unfortunately, this year, due to the times, the needs of the veterans have doubled.”

Even though the needs have doubled,  this is a story which has many happy endings.  It is my privilege to have you meet Herb, Scooter, Tammy, and Linda.  Every day they make life better for our United States Armed Forces veterans.  I salute you!

About a year ago, for reasons I can’t really explain, I wanted to find out what books specifically for children had been written about Alzheimer’s.  It was easy to find a book called What’s Happening to Grandpa? by Maria Shriver.  When I went to Amazon.com to find out more about Maria Shriver’s book, I saw a review that said that “Dr. Ann Frantti wrote a book entitled Grandma’s Cobwebs several years ago on the same topic.  Unfortunately, Dr. Frantti doesn’t have the benefit of Ms. Shriver’s ‘star power’ in terms of getting publicity about Grandma’s Cobwebs, but her book is excellent.”

Once I saw that quote, I was intrigued at the idea of finding this “lost” children’s book, Grandma’s Cobwebs.  The book is out of print but was available through an online used book service.  I bought the book for $135 (don’t tell my wife, Rose).  Once it was in my hands, I wanted to share it with everyone!

With the help of a very artistic and creative team (Shawn Hunt, Angie Moreland, and Catherine Law), the book is now out of hiding for  you to see.  Go to our new website called www.AlzheimersHope.com.  Click on the link and go to the Alzheimer’s Hope home page, and then look directly to the right of the logo to find an icon which reads, “Featured book—Grandma’s Cobwebs, a story for children about Alzheimer’s disease.”  Click on that icon, and you’ll be taken into the world of Ann Frantti when she was caring for her mother Elizabeth and trying to help her daughter Claire deal with Grandma’s ever-growing cobwebs.

Claire’s world gets turn upside down by experiencing her beloved grandmother’s struggle with memory issues.  The term “Grandma’s cobwebs” becomes a way for Claire and her grandmother to name the intrusive memory loss.

The book was written by Ann Frantti, a gifted educator who recently retired as an award-winning principal of an elementary school in New York.  One of the most poignant lines in Grandma’s Cobwebs is this—“It’s like having my mind filled with cobwebs, and sometimes these silly cobwebs make me so mad!”

Please read and enjoy the story.  I trust that you too will be captivated by the storyline, the illustrations, and the fact that this is a true story written by a woman who knows what it’s like to be part of that generation sandwiched between caring for a beloved parent and one’s own children.

Rick Law in 2004

Rick Law in 2009

Today I stop living a lie! Despite the old photo I have been showing you, I really don’t have brown hair anymore—and unfortunately, I now need to wear my eyeglasses all the time.  The photos above are both of me, Rick Law, 2004 and 2009.  I promise to no longer hide behind my former, more youthful 55-year-old portrait. No siree, I’m now a 59-year-old white-haired grandpa, and proud of it!

Let me reflect on the passage of the last five years—“Rick Law, 2004-2009.”  Someone insightfully said that the “dash” between dates symbolizes all of the life events that took place during that time.  As an  elder law attorney who works with the issues of the frail, the senior citizen, and those with disabilities of any age, some of the biggest changes that I have noticed over the last five years are:

1. Now the Boomers are coming into my office. Five years ago, my practice was totally focused on my parent’s generation, the Greatest Generation—but now it’s our turn.  We, the Boomers, are starting to die, become disabled, have memory issues and mobility issues, experience young-onset Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and have other longevity problems.
2. The federal and state governments have insufficient resources to meet the demand, so they keep creating even bigger barriers to accessing long term health care benefits.  This is true despite the current president’s recent health care promise that “I will not let a bureaucrat come between you and quality health care.”
3. The speed of change forces my legal team and I to have to “sprint” to remain honed and ready advocates.

For me personally, some of the most important things that have happened in the “dash” of the last five years are:

1. The startup and growth of our law practice, which is focused in the areas of estate protection and planning, disability, Medicaid, and veteran’s benefits for the over-65.  We have gone from three employees to a great team of twenty!
2. The birth of my four beautiful grandchildren—Lucy, Daphne, Evan, and Phoebe.
3. Having served over 1,500 clients throughout Illinois.
4. Delighting in the presence of our bright young attorneys—Diana M. Law, partner; Gina Salamone, Esq.; and Zachary Hesselbaum, Esq.  It makes me feel good to know that when and if something happens to me, these three can lead the legal team while serving our clients and their families.
5. The founding of the Veterans Benefit Institute, which has been one of my greatest legal experiences.  It has allowed us the opportunity to provide education about VA benefits for the over-65 wartime veteran to more than 80 law firms from around the country.
6. My entrance into the blogging world, which has allowed me to get to know some of the most wonderful, caring, and life-lifting people that I have ever met in my life.

So far this ‘aging thing’ has been full of love and life.  I am trying to follow the wit and wisdom of the great philosopher, Lucille Ball, who said, “The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.”  Here’s to eternal hope!

Rick

A number of times I have had clients tell me that they love their adult children, but  they have a child who has chosen a destructive lifestyle.  Sometimes it’s a mental health issue, or sometimes it’s just a matter of making very bad choices.  These parents do not want to abandon any of their children—but they also do not want to give money to fuel the fire that is consuming their child.  They come to me and ask me what to do.  These are not persons with a legally defined disability—but they will squander all of their inheritance unless their parents find a way to provide “lifetime love and protection” over estate assets.  The answer is what I call the Lifetime Love and Protection Trust (LPT).

A Love and Protection Trust is designed to be a legal tool to provide protection, motivation, and encouragement for an adult child who is unable to make careful and supportive decisions with his or her money.  The LPT works to ensure that your investment in your adult child is used to further your caring purposes, positive values, and enduring concerns for his or her well-being.

A professional trustee will follow your written trust instructions and safeguard your property to benefit your child.  Trained investment professionals will safeguard the money and work to maximize a reasonable and profitable return on the assets that you have left to be invested.  By law and by the trust document itself, the trustee must make prudent and intelligent decisions to protect your child and your trust monies.

Unfortunately, it happens all too often that adult children squander their entire inheritance unless you take control and help them by making a final gift of love and protection by using a lifetime trust.  The LPT prevents an adult child from foolishly spending, wasting, and losing your hard-earned estate.  Your investment in your child is protected from creditors, failed marriages, and other predators.

Some adult children consistently make destructive choices and therefore are extremely vulnerable to creditor lawsuits and many other types of legal claims.  An LPT can be designed to discourage substance abuse and to provide for the special needs of your adult child.  You can and should build protective walls around the legacy that you have chosen to leave your child.

Build a fortress with this trust.  At its most basic, a love and protection trust will be there for your child long after you are no longer able to be directly involved.  Your legacy of love, protection, and sound investment management will give your adult child the best chance to still have money available if and when he or she eventually chooses to seek help to make a positive life transformation.

Dale Chatfield creating "landscape art"

“What in the world is that man doing?!” I asked attorney Zach Hesselbaum. It was a perfect summer afternoon and we had just left a client’s home at Alden of Waterford.  We could see a man creating something with homemade tools in an undeveloped area across from the residences.  We just had to get to know this man who, it turned out, was a pro at creating “landscape art”.

Dale Chatfield is a man of simple and powerful virtues.  His initiative, integrity, and personality have drawn people to him, and then he has enriched their lives.  Zach and I spoke with Dale and his charming wife Doris.  They have been married 70 years.

Dale was born October 10, 1911 in the central Nebraska plains.  He told us, “I grew up on the farm, and when I was a young man it seemed like I knew all the girls in Nebraska—but none of them were right for me!  It was The Great Depression, but I headed off to find my fortune in Denver.”  In Denver he lived frugally, studied accounting, and eventually got a job as an accountant for the Denver/Rio Grande Railway.  But Dale was never meant to just sit at a desk.  He is competitor, and is driven to always do more than what is expected.  Doris beamed and proudly told us, “Dale has spent his whole life going the extra mile.  We had a dry cleaning business for 32 years.  The business, called D&D Cleaners (for Dale and Doris), grew because my husband always gave extraordinary personal attention to each customer.  Even after people moved away from our neighborhood, they would drive back to have Dale do their cleaning.  People value that special personal attention.”

Even after retirement, Dale has kept on making life more fun for others.  From 1990 to 2005, he almost singlehandedly did the Christmas decorations and lights around their four-story senior residential center in Denver.  Doris told us, “He was the only one in the neighborhood who decorated all four sides of their building!  Everybody else just did the front.  You know, he climbed up and down those tall ladders even when he got to be 92.”

If you want to talk about playing horseshoes, Dale is your man.  He is a champion horseshoe player.  He played in a senior league that included 40 players.  During ten seasons, Dale was champion five years.  Leaving Denver and moving to Chicago in 2005, his biggest disappointment has been that he can no longer find anyone who wants to play horseshoes.  “They all say they have a bad back or a bad arm.  I can’t find anyone who will play with me.”

I asked Dale if he could provide me with some of his keys to a long and successful life.  He gave me a handwritten note that reads as follows:

1. God, parents, wife, and kids
2. Creator, genes, diet, exercise
3. Husband and wife 50/50; don’t let the sun set on your anger.
4. Honesty (don’t even take tax deductions if they are iffy)
5. Eat well but nothing fancy (oatmeal with raisins every day and good farm food)

Dale is a wonderful life model for the art of being—and living as—a very successful man.

Dale and Doris Chatfield

“I am a lifer here at Countryside. When I need something, they are right there to help me and to relieve my fears. Yes sir, I love it here! This is my home. And Anthony is my friend.” --Bill Mueller, Cubs fan and long-term care resident

Many of our elder law clients live at Countryside Care Center in Aurora, Illinois. We hear from our clients and their families that great care is provided for both private pay and Medicaid clients.

When we are asked by families to recommend a skilled care facility, we often say, “Choose the care, not the curtains!”  In other words, investigate what it’s like to live in a facility—don’t just judge the place by the décor and the architecture.

Recently, I had the pleasure of taking a tour of Countryside Care Center to get to know the staff better.  Jean Bennett, Marketing Manager, greeted me and introduced me to Anthony Clark, R.N., Clinical Nurse Manager and Physician Liaison (pictured on the left in the photo above).  After telling me some of his favorite lawyer jokes, he showed me a whole new way to think about long-term care nursing.

Q:    Anthony, why do you serve here at Countryside?

A:    I had wanted to get an operating room position, but due to circumstances, I decided to apply here.  Actually, an operating room job can be easier, because you never get attached to the patients—and most of the time… you win!—the patient gets well.  But in a nursing home facility, you experience just the opposite.  You spend long periods of time building relationships with people, and then you face the reality of their inevitable death.  You have to learn how to deal with your grief.

That’s one of the real challenges of being a part of a long term care setting.  Ultimately, you will lose someone you care about.  I try to focus on providing our residents with comfort, care, and friendship.  I have a lot of friends who live here.

Q:    How do you and your staff find job satisfaction working in the nursing home at Countryside?

A:    One of the greatest things we have here at Countryside is our Reminiscence Boulevard; that’s our memory enrichment wing.  Our staff go out of their way to love and care for our residents.  They smile, joke, sing, and dance together.  The staff on the Boulevard take pride in what they do.  They do their work well, and the residents and the residents’ families come to trust each one of them.

Q:    What is one of the big reasons that you chose to work at Countryside?

A:    Formerly, I did work in a fancy and totally remodeled short-term rehabilitation center.  Before the new construction, it had been an older, smaller facility.  The nursing team had been able to provide the highest quality of care.  But, after the reconstruction, we had a state-of-the-art building in which it was physically impossible for us to safely serve our residents.  Here, we can see all of the rooms from either end of the hallway.

Q:    What is a special point of pride for you?

A:    The staff must be emotionally up each time they come through the door, or it will show to our residents.  I am proud that every day, this care team shows up emotionally ready for the day.

Many of us under-appreciate those who serve our frail, elderly and disabled, with both compassion and true friendship.  Thank you, Anthony, Jean, and the nursing teams like those at Countryside.

“How do you grow up to become Santa Claus?” I innocently asked the white-bearded man.  Laying a finger aside of his nose, he looked at me gently and told his story.

“My birth name is John Scheuch, and Christmas 2009 will be my 34th year as Santa Claus.  Being Santa is a multiple-generation calling—my father, grandfather, stepfather, and uncle have all donned the role.  In 1975, my mother (who knew that I yearned to be Santa) gave me my first custom-tailored suit.  But in those days I had a couple of challenges.  First, nobody recognizes a young Santa with dark hair and beard.  Second, I didn’t know where to go to learn all of Santa’s secrets!  Being Santa is not a “guy-group” activity; you can’t just go hang out with a bunch of Santas to learn—and at the time I couldn’t find a mentor.  Nonetheless, I had a calling to be Santa, so I decided to just start—after all, I had my suit…  So I began to quietly share with a few friends that I was Santa Claus.  One friend asked if I could come and visit his four-year-old son, Rex.  When I agreed, he added, “When you visit, could you please tell Rex to turn out the bathroom light at night?”  That was my first “ah-ha moment” as Santa, because a real Santa knows everything—but how can he, without a little help from the parents?

That was 34 years ago, and I am now visiting the children and grandchildren of those I first saw.  I keep a file on every child I have ever visited.  Now when I see a child whose parents I knew when they were children, I will often say, “You know, Mikey, when your daddy was your age he wanted me to bring him a red Tonka truck.”  People are amazed that Santa not only knows all but he remembers everything about them too.

Let me tell you about a call that changed my life. One night, I received a mysterious call from a man who identified himself as the Chief Elf of “The Elves of Christmas Present.”  The Chief Elf asked me several questions:  “Do you really look like Santa?  Do you work on Christmas Eve?  Are you afraid to fly?”  He then told me about a gravely ill child who had asked her parents to help her to go to the North Pole, see Santa Claus, and help him deliver Christmas presents.  The Chief Elf asked me to help make that wish come true.  I told him, “I’m your man!”

The afternoon of Christmas Eve arrived and I was getting ready.  Suddenly the Chief Elf called again, and with a broken voice he said, “I have bad news…  She died this afternoon…  But her grieving parents want us to go on and take her younger brother.”  Later that night I met a shattered family and a wide-eyed little boy. We grabbed my bag of toys and jumped into a helicopter. Together, we flew through a Kansas Christmas night, delivering Christmas gifts.

That moment caused me to want to devote myself to serving children with the greatest needs—children who are terminally ill, children in hospice, and children with a loved one who may be dying.  My passion to serve has led me to become Executive Director of Santa America. It’s a non-profit, volunteer organization that brings love, hope, and joy to special children and their families.”

Help Santa John and Santa America to fulfill their mission.  Please go to their website, www.Santa-America.org, and make a contribution to support them in their never-ending work of bringing Santa to exceptional children who are in crisis.