Who this fund supports
Honoring the values of the SAFE Coalition, any Massachusetts mother or person in a caretaking role may access support offered through the Janice T. Knight Memorial Fund. The fund is committed to meeting families where they are with compassion, dignity, and without judgment.
Support may include
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Assistance with basic needs
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Family stabilization resources
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Post-partum care
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Family wellness initiatives
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Emergency assistance, based on available funding and identified community needs
This fund will support programs and community resources. Specific requests for support will be reviewed through SAFE Coalition’s established processes to ensure equitable and responsible distribution of funds while prioritizing the well-being of children and families.
Janice and her siblings enjoy Easter
Janice (center) with her brother and sister
Established with love
by the Kelley-Outten Family Trust
Years ago, I remember going out to dinner with my parents, my sister Janice and her family, my husband, Ben and my mother-in-law, Nancy. Each party was paying their own bill, and Janice volunteered to collect everyone’s money to be sure we had enough for the bill and tip. My mother-in-law and I watched in awe as we saw Janice count the bills faster than any counting machine. Nancy leaned over to Janice’s husband, Dan and asked, “Does she always move that fast?” “Oh no, he responded. This is her slow speed.”
When I think of my sister, I think of action, energy, and movement. One night she couldn’t sleep, so she painted the family room. The endless trips she made to doctors, dentists, grocery stores and everything else she did to support our aging parents for years. The volunteer work she so enjoyed with Meals on Wheels. The care packages she made for her kids when they were away at college. She did all this and so much more with love, care, and attention to every detail. She never did anything halfway. If she was in, she was all in.
She saw a need and took action. No procrastination, no indecisiveness, no over analysis. If she saw someone that needed help, she helped.
I heard my niece, Jennifer Knight Levine, speak at the recent SAFE gala. She told the story of how, when SAFE first began, Janice would quietly slip her checks for $100. That was my sister, always supportive but never needing to be the center of attention.
My sister’s illness was hard in so many ways; for her, her husband and children, and the family and friends who loved her. It first slowed and then stopped her ability to move as she wanted through the world. But her love for her family and her community never wavered. In the end, she took all the energy she could gather for one final family holiday to meet two of her newest grandchildren. Janice smiled, held their hands, and visited with all her beloved family. She truly gave all she had to give with love and care.
I’ve thought a lot about how to honor Janice. I knew it needed to be something that reflected her love of family and community, and how she wanted to improve the lives of others, especially mothers and children. It is not surprising then that I thought about SAFE, an organization that exists to support families and communities. This is why the Janice T. Knight Memorial Fund was established, to continue her legacy of love, support, and care. This fund will specifically support programs that offer help to mothers, children, and families. Janice loved to help others, solve problems, and improve lives. I hope you will join me in continuing her long tradition of taking action when help is needed.
With love,
Susan Kelley-Outten
Janice's Sister