Supporting the Cancer Community and Serving Up Hope... Family Style!
Empowering, encouraging and celebrating cancer warriors of all ages,
and inspiring youth to be creative and compassionate.
Our Mission
The Mission of Short Folks For Hope Foundation is to empower, encourage and celebrate cancer warriors of all ages with our special projects, and to inspire youth to be courageous, compassionate members of our communities.
Short Folks For Hope Foundation was founded in 2012 by cancer survivor and singer/songwriter Kristen Short. We are a 501(c)(3) cancer support charity and are 100% volunteer directed and operated with no salaried staff. Your donations go right to making a difference in a cancer warrior's life.
SUPPORTING THE CANCER COMMUNITY...FAMILY STYLE!
The Short Family and son-in-law Trent, six of the Team Short Folks For Hope / Vivian St. Onge Memorial Rickshaw Team Members, at Dempsey Challenge 2019. Photo by Beth Comeau.
YOUTH AMBASSADORS FOR HOPE PROJECT (Est. 2012)
Short Folks For Hope Foundation started out as a fundraising charitable organization in 2012. Our first project is Youth Ambassadors For Hope. Between 2011 to 2020, the Short Family and their small youth-majority Team Short Folks For Hope were active participants in the annual Dempsey Challenge Event and raised over $80,000 for the Dempsey Center (formerly named The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing) of Lewiston. The Dempsey Center provides free cancer support care for cancer patients and their families. See their website at The Dempsey Center | Cancer Care & Support Center | Maine
Since 2012 we have developed a number of additional projects, two of which were developed by our Youth Ambassadors. Our projects are detailed below. With our Youth Ambassadors For Hope Project, we motivate, guide and provide opportunities for youth to be compassionate, creative, hope-fostering members of our communities, and we recognize outstanding charitable efforts by youth. Our Youth Ambassadors For Hope help out with our charity character visits to Camp Sunshine on Sebago Lake, our community events and fundraising events, and more!
COOL TREATS FOR CHARITY (Est. 2013)
Cool Treats for Charity is a nonprofit frozen treat mobile pushcart business owned and established in 2013 by Kristen Short and operated by The Short Family at community and charity events, business events and private functions. Proceeds from the sale of our frozen treats, snacks and beverages benefit Short Folks For Hope Foundation and local charitable efforts. Since our first event in the summer of 2013, Cool Treats For Charity has donated over $6,000 to Short Folks For Hope and other local charities (Dempsey Center, Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, Androscoggin Hospice House, American Cancer Society/Relay for Life, Team Hailey Hugs, Responsible Pet Care, Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, Safe Voices, Maine Make-A-Wish, and more), and have also donated to fundraisers for families with loved ones going through cancer treatment. For more information and/or to book Cool Treats For Charity at an event, see our website at www.cooltreats.org
Cool Treats...Warm Hearts!
The Vivian St. Onge Memorial Rickshaw Team (est. 2014)
Vivian St. Onge (1959-2014) was an energetic and kind philanthropist, oncology nurse, political activist, entrepreneur, crafter and adept cyclist who lived life to the absolute fullest despite a three-year battle with stage IV breast cancer. Vivian was a dedicated supporter and independent fundraiser for The Dempsey Center/Dempsey Challenge. Even though she was in active cancer treatment, Vivian courageously completed the 50-mile Dempsey Challenge cycling event in 2011. She was a beloved board member of Short Folks For Hope Foundation.
Due to her increased health challenges, Vivian was not able to ride in the 2013 Dempsey Challenge, but she was there at the finish line enthusiastically cheering all the cancer warriors on. Anyone who knew Vivian knew how much she loved cycling and how her heart longed to be on the road again.
After a valiant battle, Vivian earned her angel wings February 28, 2014. She is forever in our hearts and the hearts of those who had the great fortune of knowing her. Before Vivian passed, she spoke to her family, Kristen and other friends about several cancer warrior empowering wishes of hers that she wanted to see to fruition. Short Folks For Hope Foundation is honored to have helped make one of Vivian’s wishes a reality in 2014, The Vivian St. Onge Memorial Rickshaw Project at the Dempsey Challenge Cycling Event. This project enabled cancer warriors who are unable to cycle in the Dempsey Challenge cycling event the opportunity to ride on Vivian's Rickshaw Team with a team pedicab driver from Flow Pedicab. They experienced the joy and exhilaration of riding in the event and crossing the finish line, where they were showered with cheers, hugs and hope and are donned with a team medal. The Vivian St. Onge Memorial Rickshaw Team presented by Short Folks For Hope Foundation was an annual project at the Dempsey Challenge cycling event from 2014 to 2020, and our project provided 60 amazing cancer warrior rides during those years. Although we are no longer actively riding in the Dempsey Challenge Events due to the closure of pedicab companies in Maine, the 20 surviving cancer warrior team members and 13 angel warrior team members are a forever team, and we continue to celebrate with them and honor them all.
the hope bear project (EST. 2016)
Meet our hope-fostering friends, Hobart, Hailey, Cam, Mama Bear Kalliope, Bling, and Angel, the Hope Bears! With Short Folks For Hope Foundation's Hope Bear Project, we give our Hope Bear Encouragement Packs to cancer warriors of all ages to bring comfort and to be cheery friends and travel buddies on their courageous adventures. Encouragement Packs also include comfort items specially tailored for each recipient. Angel Hope Bear Memory Gifts are given to families whose warrior has earned their wings.
Shining star Cancer Warrior Karen was our first cancer warrior to receive a Hobart the Hope Bear in June 2016. The name Hobart means "bright shining one," and he accompanied Karen to her medical appointments, treatments and hospital stays, and family adventures throughout her cancer journey. Hailey the Hope Bear and Cam the Hope Bear are namesakes of two courageous young cancer warriors who are an inspiration to us and actively help other families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Mama Bear the Hope Bear (also known as Kalliope) is the namesake of our founder, Kristen, who has the determination to fight cancer, raise a family, help others, and never gives up hope.
Want to help? A $50 donation helps sponsor a Hope Bear Encouragement Pack for a cancer warrior or an Angel Hope Bear Memory Pack for a bereaved family. Online donations can be made here: https://donorbox.org/shortfolksforhope. Want to request a Hope Bear Encouragement Pack for a loved one in cancer treatment or an Angel Hope Bear Memory Pack for a bereaved family? Fill out our online application at Hope Bears (shortfolks.org), or contact Short Folks For Hope Founder/Executive Director Kristen Short at (888) 522-6987, email info@shortfolks.org.
WISHES FOR HOPE (EST. 2016)
Short Folks For Hope Foundation has been creatively fulfilling little wishes for cancer warriors since 2016. Some of the wishes we've granted include:
* a special helicopter flight for a military veteran over his hometown;
* a season's pass to an amusement park for a pediatric warrior;
* a horseback ride for a cancer warrior who hadn't been able to ride in years;
* a horseback ride for a cancer warrior who wanted to take her first ride;
* a lovely wig for a young mom with long hair who was losing her hair to cancer treatment;
* planting wished-for flowers in a cancer warrior's garden;
* small grants for cancer families to help with treatment travel expenses;
and more.
Want to request consideration for a Wishes For Hope grant for a loved one in cancer treatment? Contact Short Folks For Hope Founder/Executive Director Kristen Short at (888) 522-6987, email info@shortfolks.org, for an application.
FURRY AMBASSADORS FOR HOPE (EST. 2017)
Our Short Folks For Hope Furry Ambassador (aka charity mascot), Lagoona the Dutch Angel Dragon, flew into our charity in 2017. Lagoona brings smiles to kids with life-threatening illnesses, and she is a source of joy for people of all ages! Lagoona enchants with her sweet squeaking and pantomine communication, amazes us with her dance and tumbling skills, and is a beloved and cherished member of our charity team. Lagoona visits cancer warriors in treatment, respite camps, cancer centers and charity functions. Our Furry Ambassadors For Hope Team includes Lagoona the Dutch Angel and Mama Bear Kalliope. The project is founded and managed by Short Folks For Hope Ambassador Allie Short Newton.
For more information on Camp Sunshine, visit their website at https://campsunshine.org. We love our visits with all the courageous kids and families!
The Dutch Angel Dragon species was created by Deanna Biesemeyer. Lagoona character was created by Allie Short. Mama Bear Kalliope character was created by Allie and Kristen Short. Lagoona, Kuiper and Kalliope fursuits created by Craig Ames of CCS Mascots. Visit Lagoona's Facebook page at https://facebook.com/lagoonaDAD.
SUPERS FOR HOPE AND PRINCESSES FOR HOPE (est. 2018)
Short Folks For Hope Foundation's Supers For Hope Project is founded by Hope Ambassador Ian Short. We make superhero visits to cancer warriors on request and to Camp Sunshine, charity and community events. Our superhero training stations are fun and challenging and encourage kids (and adults) to “Stay Strong!” and support charitable efforts in our communities. Our "Supers" include Spider-Man, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Spider-Gwen and Black Widow.
With our Princesses For Hope Project we make "royal" visits to cancer warriors on request and to Camp Sunshine, charity and community events. Our first Royal Tea fundraising event was held September 2022 in Mechanic Falls, Maine, and featured royal guests Glinda the Good of Oz, Queen Elsa, Princess Ariel, Princess Jasmine, Princess Belle, Mulan, and Mary Poppins with food, musical performances and sing-alongs, crafts, activities and raffles. Our first fundraising event was a wonderful success and we look forward to another Royal Tea event in the near future.
Want to audition as a superhero or princess character with our charity? Contact Founder/Executive Director Kristen Short at info@shortfolks.org for consideration.
musicians for hope (EST. 2018)
Founder/Executive Director Kristen Short is a singer/songwriter who has been writing, performing and producing heartfelt, multi-genre original music since 1991. She has written and produced over 50 songs and released four full-length original music CDs on her independent label, Sea Siren Records. In 2011, she wrote and produced the original song and video "Chairs" about her cancer journey. She sold CD sets and donated the proceeds to the Dempsey Center and Short Folks For Hope Foundation. See the "Chairs" video on this website under the video tab as well as the Dempsey Center and Sea Siren YouTube channels. For more information on Kristen's music see her website at kristenshort.com.
When requested, Kristen brings music, prayer and comfort to those in cancer care and hospice. Kristen sings hymns and contemporary songs of hope. Special song requests for a loved one are welcome. For more information, contact Kristen at info@shortfolks.org.
Our 2025 Sponsors
