Welcome to the Robert Mathews Foundation For Families in Need.  This Monroe County Organization was established to provide financial assistance for local families struggling with a serious health issue.

The Foundation is in memory of Robert (Odie) Mathews.  In June of 2006 he was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma. After many rounds of chemo, numerous radiation treatments, several surgeries and hospital stays he lost his battle on February 10, 2008.

During that time we learned how fast life can change, both in everyday routines and financially. But more importantly it gave us the opportunity to see how fortunate we truly were. We were at a point in our lives where finances had become much easier, our children were raised and we had the opportunity to become grandparents.

Through all the visits to doctors, long treatments and hospital stays you get to meet a lot of people who are going down similar trails. You can’t help but notice there’s someone who always has it worse.   Although you hear this phrase often… it’s more than words~ it’s the truth. We saw elderly with no family facing the struggle alone to young children who never had the chance to experience life like every child should. There was one young couple in particular who really touched our hearts.

Each week Bob went for chemo treatments and prior to them he was required to have various blood levels checked. Each time  as we sat in the lab we would see the same people and would wonder what might lay ahead for each one. However, there was a very young couple with two little boys that we were taken back by. The mother had cancer and you could see how weak she had become. As we sat there, our minds would wonder and we couldn‘t help but think of the worries each of the young parents must have. For the husband:  how would he provide for the family, meet all the financial obligations, manage the boys without her?  Coupled with the anger of  knowing there’s nothing he could do to change things.  For the mother, I can’t image the struggle she was going through. You could see how weary and nauseated she was but worse than that you could see the worry in her eyes. As a mother myself I could only envision what was going through her mind.  Would she beat this battle?  If she did would it reoccur?   Would she have the opportunity to raise her boys, see then off to the prom, their wedding day, or the excitement of becoming a grandma?  What if she didn’t survive who was going to fill her shoes and raise her boys?  As I watched the two small children I thought of how they had been stripped of their childhood innocence and that it could never be recovered.  Our hearts were truly broken for this family.

In today’s world  it’s easy enough to fall on hard times without health issues, regardless of age. From the young couple just getting started to the elderly on a fixed income.  Facing the future of a loved one‘s health is the hardest thing I‘ve done, but I can’t imagine dealing with it in addition to having financial trouble. The Foundation is an opportunity for a community to join together and lend a hand .

We ask for your support to lessen the burden for others. Today it maybe someone you don’t know but tomorrow it could be your loved one. Monroe County has always been a community with a heart! By supporting this foundation you can touch the lives of others and help them see the good from the bad by giving them a shoulder of support.

We thank you for visiting our website and look forward to seeing you at our Annual Events.

Sincerely,

Linda Mathews

This foundation is in memory of Robert (Odie) Mathews who lost his battle to cancer on February 10, 2008.  Bob was a soft hearted man who was always willing to help those in need.

To be eligible for assistance you must meet the following criteria:

1.  Be a current Monroe County Illinois resident.

2.  Diagnosed with a serious illness, for a minimum of 6 months,with NO settlement or law suit pending.

3.  Can only apply once each year during illness.

4.  Complete an applications with required attachments.

The amount of assistance will be determined by the funds raised at the annual event. That amount will be divided into 4 quarters.

1st quarter:January 1st thru March 31st
2nd quarter: April 1st  thru June 30th
3rd quarter:July 1st  thru September 30th
4th quarter:October 1st  thru December 31st

Applications received during the applicable quarter will be reviewed and if eligible will receive assistance at the end of that quarter.

Download an Application for Assistance

WHEN

November 5, 2014
Noon-8pm

WHERE

Applebee’s – Waterloo
923 N. Illinois Rt. 3
Waterloo, IL 62298

WHAT

Dining to Donate
Dine in at Applebee’s in Waterloo on this date and 15% gets donated

Board of Directors and Office Holders

Linda Mathews, President & Treasurer
Robert Mathews Jr., Vice-President
Angie Eschmann, Secretary
Kelly Mattingly, Director
Todd Eschmann, Director
Lisa Schwarze, Director

We would like to extend a special thank you to all the sponsors, volunteers, participants and vendors who help make the Robert Mathews Foundation for Families in Need organization a success. Community support has made it possible for us to help 18 Monroe County families with serious health issues since the Foundation started in 2008.It’s because of the compassion of Monroe County residents that this is even possible.

Thank you Monroe County for your support, so that we may continue with this journey and make a difference for those diagnosed with a serious health issue.

Recipients

Download a printable Contribution Form