Maureen had a beaming smile and greeted everyone with a big hug and bright spirit. Her kindness, acceptance, generosity, hard work, grace, loyalty, leadership & joy were unmatched, even despite the many challenges she faced at the end of her life. Your donations directly support the beautiful causes listed below.
* Maureen's Legacy *
Luke's Wings
Wishlists at Mass General + C H L A
Wishlists at Mass General + C H L A
As part of our 2023 and 2024 Holiday Initiatives, we sponsored 4 flights so that service members and their families could spend the holidays together. Often times members of our Armed Forces are injured across the world. Luke's Wings provides the jet to reunite families so no servicemember spends the holiday alone.
Wishlists at Mass General + C H L A
Wishlists at Mass General + C H L A
Wishlists at Mass General + C H L A
Part of our 2023 Holiday Initiative included 2 new hospital partnerships - the child wings at both Massachusetts General Hospital and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. We helped fulfill their online wishlists and and overflow of gifts were delivered with care to these precious kids fighting in their own unique ways.
Lasagna Love
Broadway Hearts
Broadway Hearts
With exceedingly high grocery costs and the holidays looming, fall of 2023 fostered a new partnership with this booming organization. Amateur chefs (like our President, Katharine Heaton!) are matched with local families in need to cook anything from one lasagna to an entire feast. This was a meaningful way to share Maureen's story while delivering warm, hearty meals.
Broadway Hearts
Broadway Hearts
Broadway Hearts
A new partnership bloomed on 2023's #GivingTuesday, as we gave to this wonderful organization. Broadway Hearts provides both live and virtual sing-alongs in children's hospitals across the country, Kids can request Broadway hits to be performed on the spot by stars from the stage! Broadway Hearts also helps students in need take part in private music lessons.
Pentucket High School Award
Pentucket High School Award
Pentucket High School Award
Maureen was President of her Class of '94. She loved getting people together to show their school spirit, was a loyal classmate, always planning or participating. The MHF Scholarship was established to continue Maureen's legacy by focusing on the inner beauty and community involvement of the applicants. Recipients have been Cameron Pie
Maureen was President of her Class of '94. She loved getting people together to show their school spirit, was a loyal classmate, always planning or participating. The MHF Scholarship was established to continue Maureen's legacy by focusing on the inner beauty and community involvement of the applicants. Recipients have been Cameron Piecewicz '20, Olivia Reagan '21, Ava Spencer '22, Olivia Bartholomew '23 & Michael Inger '24.
Salvation Army - East LA
Pentucket High School Award
Pentucket High School Award
Maureen has a special connection to the East Los Angeles Salvation Army that we didn't know about until after her passing. Therefore, as part of our past 5 Holiday Initiatives, we partner with this particular location to fulfill their child/teen holiday wish lists. We also started providing backpacks & school supplies every August. The
Maureen has a special connection to the East Los Angeles Salvation Army that we didn't know about until after her passing. Therefore, as part of our past 5 Holiday Initiatives, we partner with this particular location to fulfill their child/teen holiday wish lists. We also started providing backpacks & school supplies every August. The kids are SO appreciative and love to hear from us!
Elves in Newburyport, MA
Pentucket High School Award
Pettengill House - Amesbury, MA
4 years & counting, our board became real-life elves, adopting families in need. The families submit their must-haves & wish lists, and we fulfill it all! Thanks to your generosity, all these gifts are put under trees in Maureen's name.
www.newburyportyouthservices.com (Family to Family Holiday Program)
Pettengill House - Amesbury, MA
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
Pettengill House - Amesbury, MA
As part of our 2020 + 2024 Holiday Initiatives, we helped this organization in various ways. Whether we supplied substantial gift cards to Market Basket or provided basic needs for children, we were happy to make such a meaningful connection close to home. www.pettengillhouse.org
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
This organization helps children who are victims of sex trafficking and prostitution, and we were led here because of Maureen's love and concern for children in need. During our Spring Remembrance 2021 and Holiday Initiative 2022 + 2024, we provided a donation specifically funding school tutoring for the Los Angeles victims in desperate need of a brand-new start. www.childrenofthenight.org
COPE Foundation
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
Children Of The Night - Los Angeles, CA
Connecting Our Paths Eternally (COPE) is an organization benefitting families in grief from child and/or sibling loss. MHF continually sponsors one month's worth of phone line help with a therapist for anyone in need of a call-in, and we have helped sponsor their "Cope Walk" 4 yrs in a row. If you are grieving the loss of a child (at any age) or sibling, please visit: www.copefoundation.org
New York Cares - NYC
National Brain Tumor Society
Catie's Closet - Boston
As part of our 2022 & 2024 Holiday Initiatives, we provided 200 warm coats and hot meals to the homeless. A few years back, Maureen actually suggested to her sister Katharine that she should start a winter coat drive for this organization at her work in NYC. Katharine keeps the email saved as a reminder of Maureen's constant ideas of how to help others.
Catie's Closet - Boston
National Brain Tumor Society
Catie's Closet - Boston
As a recurring partnership, we chose this wonderful organization to help local students in need. If a school has a "Catie's Closet," a student can discretely visit it to shop for anything they may need, free of charge. The 'closets' are stocked with clothing of all sizes, underwear, outerwear, backpacks & hygiene products.
National Brain Tumor Society
National Brain Tumor Society
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Though Maureen lived 40 completely healthy years, she was suddenly diagnosed with aggressive glioblastoma IV, a terminal brain cancer. We are committed to helping fund research in the hopes that other families do not have to endure such a loss. For 4 yrs, we advocated on Capitol for those who cannot and we have helped support several NBTS
Though Maureen lived 40 completely healthy years, she was suddenly diagnosed with aggressive glioblastoma IV, a terminal brain cancer. We are committed to helping fund research in the hopes that other families do not have to endure such a loss. For 4 yrs, we advocated on Capitol for those who cannot and we have helped support several NBTS #GoGrayInMay initiatives, walks and #GBMDay every July. We will never stop fighting for research and a cure.
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Maureen was a 1998 graduate of Emerson, and was an incredibly involved Broadcast Journalism student, both in Boston and LA, but also was a member of the national organization RTDNA (Radio, TV, Digital News Association). The inaugural 'RTDNA Maureen Heaton Entertainment News Award' was awarded to Kimberly Wilborn, class of 2019, who now also works at E! in Los Angeles. Congrats Kim!
Women's Lunch Place - Boston
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Women's Lunch Place - Boston
Maureen believed everyone should have at least a second chance, and she loved empowering women in need. We chose this organization on Newbury Street, where women can come for food, counseling and job encouragement six days a week. We provided CVS gift cards and notes of encouragement to be disbursed.
The Dwelling Place of NY
Emerson College, Journalism Department
Women's Lunch Place - Boston
After an extremely difficult 2020, this women's shelter in NYC reopened its doors in January of 2021. We were there to help welcome new ladies arriving in need of housing, clothing, food and confidence. We armed them with empowering gift bags and helped them understand they have what it takes to start their new lives.
Congrats Pentucket Class of 2025 and our scholarship winner!
Congrats to Kate Conover, our 2025 MHF scholarship recipient at Pentucket Regional High School. Kate exemplifies love for others, school spirit, leadership & community involvement. She plans to study nursing and play DII lacrosse. We can't wait to follow her journey! Thanks to all our supporters for making this possible.