Our Mission
Charlie's Guys is organized for children 18 years and younger across the United States who have lost a sibling or loved one in any way.
Our mission is to remind children who have lost a loved one that they are loved and not forgotten and provide them with support while they are on their grief journey.
Services We Provide
Behind the Name
Charlie loved superheroes. His favorites were the Transformers: Robots in Disguise, but he couldn't pronounce the name. Instead, he abbreviated them to "The Guys" (as in Disguise). We are Charlie's Guys, and together, we are all superheroes in disguise.
The logo is also designed with a purpose: the blue represents Charlie's favorite color and the color of his eyes. The stars signify him watching over us, and there are 23 of them to represent the 23 months he had on earth.
States of Incorporation
The Story
It all started with Charlie and his brother. Charlie was born 21 months after his brother, creating a close brotherly bond that they both cherished. Things they enjoyed most were playing with their transformers, pretending to be transformers, digging for dinosaur bones, playing hide-and-seek, and swimming together.
One morning when Charlie was all but 23 months old, he passed away in his sleep. While the founders didn't know it at the time, Charlie had contracted a virus that compromised his body and left him with no symptoms until it became fatal.
Terrified to begin this journey, they were showered with love and compassion in the form of gifts, clothes, books, and experiences. Even their unborn daughter (due two months after Charlie passed) was showered with gifts. This generosity made their pain more manageable and they were able to see love in the midst of their loss.
This organization is born out of all the generosity they received. Now they want to give back to those who are also changed by this type of tragedy.
Financials
Charlie's Guys is a 501(c)3 charity. Tax ID # 32-0559076. All monetary donations are tax deductible.
Grocery Rewards, Amazon Smile donation distributions, and the founder's contributions go towards administrative expenses such as envelopes, folders, and brochures for children's hospitals. All other contributions go directly towards the bereaved children's and NICU/PICU sibling children's gifts.
Transparency is important to our organization. Financial statements are produced annually. Please contact us if you would like to see these records. Also, check out our annual Impact Summary Reports for other important information.
Co-Founder/President
Kjerstin brings her expertise to the organization as a former event planner and child educator.
Co-Founder/Vice-President & CFO
Shaun brings his financial expertise to the organization as an assistant professor of finance at the University of Colorado.
Chief Technology Officer
Monika brings over 10 years of experience in consulting, along with a passion for creativity and technology, to the organization. After losing her nephew and seeing the incredible impact that community support had not only for her sister and brother-in-law but also for her nephew's sibilings, she is proud to be involved in a organization that provides this type of support to greiving families.
Board Member/Secretary
Tory works at a tech company in Boulder that aims to leverage technology to accelerate personal growth through relationships. Other than her work she is passionate about people and the communities that surround them. She's excited to be a part of the community that can come around children who are grieving and honored to be a part of the Charlie's Guys mission.
Chief Administrative Officer
Allie graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2017 with a degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science and a minor in Education. She has a passion for children and babysat Charlie nearly his entire life. Allie handles all of the bereaved child care packages. She brings an enormous amount of skill and assistance to the organization as it grows in its needs to serve families affected by child/sibling loss.
Volunteer Intern
Sami
Sami is in charge of the Charlie's Clubhouse program and itinerary preparation. She is a senior at Florida International University studying Psychology. She is a former Disney cast member and aspires to become a child life specialist. She is excited to be joining the Charlie’s Guys team to help bring happiness to families during challenging times.
Volunteer Intern
Kayla
Kayla is in charge of our NICU/PICU program and social media post prep. She is from Nashville, TN and graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2019 with a BA in psychology. She is currently working towards her Masters degree at East Carolina University with hopes of becoming a Child Life Specialist. She is beyond excited to be volunteering with such a meaningful organization!
Volunteer Intern
Taylor
Taylor is in charge of contacting referrals for Charlie’s Guys. She is from Greenville, SC and graduated from USC Upstate with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Child Advocacy. She is currently in her second year in graduate school at the University of Minnesota studying Applied Child and Adolescent Development, Child Life Track. Taylor hopes to become a Child Life Specialist and is excited to use her experiences here at Charlie’s Guys to help better serve her future patients going through similar situations!
Volunteer Intern
Tori
Tori is from Murfreesboro, TN and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2012 with a degree in therapeutic recreation. For the last 10 years she has worked as a CTRS serving children who are medically fragile in an outpatient nursing facility. During this time her passion for children who come up against obstacles and hardships has grown. Her passion is to make every child feel loved, seen, and valued so partnering with this organization was a no brainer! She recently began working towards obtaining her Masters degree in Child Studies at Vanderbilt University and hopes to become a Child Life Specialist upon graduation. She is excited to be a part of this organization to learn, serve, and continue her passion!