Legacy Files

July 10, 2011 [Updated April 8, 2012; Last update: June 2012]

This morning, as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and shut off the alarm, hoping for some coffee, I thought I'd check my emails. One email I read took my breath away, left me humbled, and had me smiling all day.  Dot Member jma had written to me about a group she formed on The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait website. 

jma and some friends have been collecting money and toys to bring to ill children in a hospital in Belgium. A friend of mine suggested jma contact us, and I'm so glad!

When I read about the group, I could feel my heart swell with love, and I realized, once again, that Michael's humanitarian legacy really is continuing on:

As we all know Michael used to visit many hospitals around the world to make children happy with by giving them some attention. We have founded this group because we want to do the same MJ did for ill children: give them a nice day with a bit of attention and a little gift. We are Belgian MJ fans and we come together because we want to visit a hospital here in Belgium with ill children and give them a nice surprise like MJ used to do in his life whenever he was on tour.

We want to keep MJ's spirit alive.

jma and her friends delivered gifts to children in a hospital in Belgium on April 19, 2011. After sharing that experience, they seek to do it again, on December 13, 2011.  You can help by contributing a toy or money for them to purchase toys on your behalf. If you would like to send a toy, to save on shipping costs, especially for people outside of Europe/overseas, consider sending a toy via an online shopping avenue like www.amazon.com.uk/, which may offer free or reduced shipping costs to Belgium.

To learn more and see photos from their April 19 visit, click here.

If you donate to help bring toys to ill children in Belgium through jma's group, jma and The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait would like to honor you with a "Michael's Angels - Make An Ill Child's Day Brighter" badge, as a small way to thank you.  All donations will be made directly through jma, and she will let us know your MJTP username once she has confirmed your participation. [Please see June 2012 update below.]

Click here to send jma a note if you are interested in helping or if you have any questions.

Thank you to jma, all the people who have and will participate in helping bring toys to children in Belgium, and to everyone all over the world who are doing things to help carry on Michael's humanitarian legacy. This is what it's about. It's up to us, and this is it... From donating to various charities, helping people on the street, feeding the hungry, being kind to and helping animals, doing your part to help save the planet, or simply living a life of love, these are the sort of things Michael tried to get through to everyone in his songs, poetry, speeches and actions.

This is love in action.

With love,
Valerie
Director of Philanthropy

Click here to find out more about our Michael's Angels initiative.

December 2011 update:

We received the following update from "jma":

"We went to the hospital on 13 December; there where 26 children there. All of the children were happy to see us and they lit up when they realized we had presents for them. There also where some children with disabilities; that was very hard for us to see.

"We donated a table, and when they turn it upside down it is a swing for the playground. We also donated a wii console with various games and he will travel room to room so that everyone gets the chance to play with it. We are very proud we could give them a wii, because that was one of Michael's dreams. We hope the children get well soon!

"You can see the photos in my group 'Make an ill child's day brighter.'  We will go back somewhere in the spring."

Here is a video "jma" provided...

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March 2012 update:

"Our last visit was very fun. It was not so busy as the last time, and we could really take the time to have long visits with the children.

"All the children were very happy with their toys, and the parents and grandparents were all very interested in what we are doing. That was a nice change, because at the previous visits the adults didn't really care what we were doing, so it was a fun change. This time we donated to the hospital some things for the little ones like a baby walker and some things to hang on the beds with music. We also gave the hospital some new things for the play corner like games, books, some things for the little ones, DVDs, and a lot more. There was something for every age, so everyone can play in the play corner.

"We also have a new video so you can see for yourself what we did."

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***UPDATE: June 2012 – Our current Michael’s Angels badges, the first of which has been active for more than 2 and a half years, will be retired at the end of this month (badges assigned to members will remain on their profiles). While the badges are being retired, the efforts to carry on Michael Jackson’s humanitarian legacy will not! We encourage you to continue to support the charities, programs and initiatives we’ve highlighted so far in our Michael’s Angels program. We encourage you to keep volunteering and supporting charities that speak to your heart. Keep helping others; keep protecting the planet; keep doing what you do to make the world a better place and being an example to others, encouraging them to help heal the world.

©2011 

Comments for this post are now closed. Thank you to everyone who paticipated. We encourage you to continue your support of "Make an Ill Child's Day Brighter." Please contact "jma" directly using the links provided in this article.