A Bittersweet Announcement

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Community Members,

It is with a bittersweet feeling that we announce sunsetting the Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation. After much thoughtful consideration, we have decided to bring our work to a close in 2026. This decision was not made lightly, and we want to take this opportunity to share our heartfelt gratitude and celebrate the journey we have shared together.

Reflecting on Our Journey

Since our founding, the Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation has been dedicated to honoring Charlotte’s life, the things that she loved, and supporting families that have lost a child. Together, we have created lasting impact.

Our Charlotte’s Litter Therapy Dog Program has supported 92 school therapy dog programs. Our total grant funding reaching $200K.

The Charlotte Bacon Veterinary Scholarship at North Carolina State has awarded 18 scholarships to students and has a $50K endowment making this opportunity available to students in perpetuity. Charlotte’s dream of being a veterinarian will continue to make dreams possible for other young aspiring veterinarians.

Our published books, Good Dogs, Great Listeners, and The Dogs of Newtown have over 5,000 donated copies in circulation in schools, libraries, and homes. The stories of Charlotte and Guy will continue to charm, entertain, and inspire children and adults for years to come. A lasting legacy.

Through our Grief Initiatives, the CHB Foundation provided financial assistance for grief counseling, children’s grief camps, and research on mass casualty response and supporting grieving families, in collaboration with the researchers. We also funded grief retreats for bereaved parents, led by Joel and JoAnn in locations across the US.

The collective efforts of our volunteers, donors, partners, and staff have been nothing short of inspiring.

Why We Are Sunsetting

The decision was not an easy one. When is it ever the right time to sunset a foundation in memory of your six-year-old child? For 12 years, Joel and I took our love for Charlotte and shared it with the world through the CHB Foundation providing immeasurable support for children and families.

By creating a platform to share and remember her, we found ways for Charlotte’s legacy to last beyond any of our lifetimes, and wondered, “When do we give ourselves permission to say we’ve done enough?” That time came in 2024.  We discussed our desire to bring the CHB Foundation to a close with our Board members and agreed on a responsible and slow sunsetting plan concluding in 2026. The emotions around this decision are mixed with relief and sadness. Although by choice, we will be grieving this loss as we imagine some of our closest supporters will as well.

Charlotte will continue to hop, skip and jump with or without her namesake foundation. Charlotte’s stardust remains. It continues to sprinkle down from the sky above. ✨

Next Steps and What to Expect

• Final Programs: Joel and JoAnn will facilitate the last grief retreat in Park City, Utah in September for four couples that have lost a child. There will be one final Charlotte’s Litter grant cycle in February 2026.
• Donor Support: We will accept donations through the end of the year, which we will spend on our final programs. Our donation platform will be closed January 1, 2026.
• Projected Sunset Date: May 2026.

A Heartfelt Thank You

We are grateful for every moment, every donation, and every act of kindness that has propelled this foundation forward. The spirit of Charlotte will live on in the community we have built together. Thank you for your love,your support, and helping us to remember and grieve Charlotte as we did our best to bring love and goodness into the world.

Thankful for ever,

JoAnn & Joel  Bacon

Visit here to make a tax-deductible donation for our final chapter.