2008 proved to be another successful year in terms of generosity of Philadelphia Eagles fans.  In our 2008-2009 season of grant making, Fans Helping Fans has approximately $3,000 available for grants.  Grants are typically $500 - $1,500 and are meant to address an immediate and urgent financial need. If you are in need of some financial assistance, or know of someone who is, download an application here and follow the instruction.

Fans Helping Fans would also like to thank the many kind and generous donors who, in these times of financial hardships and economic uncertainty, made sacrifices to come to the aid of their fellow fan.  This just shows the true spirit and passion Philadelphia Eagles fans have not only for their team, but also for one another.

Philadelphia, PA (December 2008) Fans Helping Fans, a grassroots charity started and run by volunteers who are passionate fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, recently gave a local family something extra to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving when it awarded a grant to the Doyle family of West Chester, PA.

The Doyles receiving their grant

The Doyle family, longtime fans and active organizers and supporters of the TCB Tailgate, needed help for Lori Doyle’s mother, Yvonne Henthorn.  Due to numerous medical problems, including diabetes, kidney disease and a broken hip, Mrs. Henthorn needed to use a wheelchair.  The Doyle family, which moved in with Mrs. Henthorn to provide daily care and support, needed a vehicle big enough to fit their family, Mrs. Henthorn and her wheelchair.  In particular, they needed a way to get Mrs. Henthorn to doctors’ appointments.

At the TCB Tailgate party on Thanksgiving Day, Fans Helping Fans presented the Doyles with a check for $1,500.00 to assist them in buying a used van to help transport Mrs. Henthorn.  Lori and Woody Doyle always help fellow fan Jesse Esterly in organizing and setting up the TCB Tailgate, which has quickly become a magnet for Eagles fans from near and far to meet each other, watch the pre-game shows and enjoy terrific tailgate fare.  Read the story about Jesse Esterly and the TCB Tailgate, which raises money for U.S. troops and non-profit groups like Fans Helping Fans.  The Doyles and others then stay to watch the game from the parking lot.

At the Thanksgiving TCB Tailgate, FHF Grant Committee Chairman Jeff Rumble presented the grant check to the Doyles.  John Atwater, a Fox29 reporter came by shortly afterward, and both Lori and Jeff gave interviews about Fans Helping Fans and the work it does.  Watch it here!

Fans Helping Fans is grateful to the many Eagles fans who support our work and make grants like the one for Yvonne Henthorn possible.

Philadelphia, PA (November 7, 2008) Fans Helping Fans, a grassroots charity started and run by volunteers who are passionate fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, provides updates on various grants made in recent years. With the help of other Eagles fans, Fans Helping Fans raises money through tailgate parties, donations and drawings for autographed Eagles memorabilia. Thanks to the support of other Eagles fans, Fans Helping Fans has been able to help numerous fans, including those below.

In February 2007, Fans Helping Fans made a grant of $1,425 to William K., who had recently lost his job and needed help to avoid being evicted from his apartment while he started a new position.

In November 2006, Fans Helping Fans made a grant of $1,200 to April S., a fellow fan in Levittown, Pennsylvania who had suffered a fire in her apartment. Although April S. and her family were safe, they lost their belongings and requested help from Fans Helping Fans to start anew in another apartment. Fans Helping Fans provided $1,200 in IKEA gift cards so April S. could buy new furniture for herself and her children.

Fans Helping Fans was sorry to learn that two of its grantees had passed away. Eagles fan and grantee John Fenstermacher died in January 2007 from complications related to Lou Gehrig’s disease. Fans Helping Fans had assisted him by helping his family purchase an accessible van that they used to transport John to medical appointments and Eagles training camp. Wrote Eagles coach Bill Shuey, who knew John, “I truly appreciated all your help and concern with John’s situation. He was a great man and will be missed.”

Sadly, another grantee, Stephen Del Grande of West Chester, died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in February 2007. Fans Helping Fans had provided assistance for medical and other bills when his illness caused him to lose work.