Our History
History of The Kennedy Austin Foundation Ms. Ethel Gardner, sI the founder/CEO of the Kennedy Austin Foundation, KAF, was birthed out oftragedy and heartache on May 25,1992, Ethel's only 17- year- old son Damon Jermaine Jones, on his way home from a weekend trip from LakeHavasu was killed in a single car rollover. Damon was airlifted to a hospital in Las Vegas Nevada where he was on life support for seven days as his Mother Ethel watched, prayed and cried for a miracle to bring her son back to her and his t w o sisters. On May 31.1992, Damon left this earth and huge hole in his mother's heart, after many days, weeks and months of anticipating not living any more, the pain of his loss was simply overwhelming. I started to Journal my thoughts and emotions. I became homeless and despair was where I lived for many years. Journaling gave me a way to express myself. Finally, I made the decision; I would empower myself and help others that had the pain of losing a child. I started going to support groups but that gave me no comfort, finally I said I would start a support group and in March 1993, Istarted a group called "A Mothers Cry". We weremeeting at coffee shops across the Pomona Area. Finally, a door opened for me to have a small space in a tiny office and the women, men and families came out to get help. In July 1995, AMothers Cry support group became The Kennedy Austin Development Center, and in March 1998, Ethel changed the name to Kennedy Austin Foundation, a nonprofit 501@3 Family crisis intervention foundation serving under-privileged families in crisis. KAF serves the communities with mental health, and crisis intervention services.Our motto is to educate, equip, empower families, and Mothers that have suffered the loss of a child.We have become a beacon light in our community, with programs to serve individual's in Grief and loss-The 5 stages of grief Anger Management- Know your triggers Parenting-building self- esteem and self- awareness Domestic Violence-Self empowerment/ taking your life back Creating Space, Childhood trauma and adversity: physical, emotional, behavioral wellbeing and mental health. Over the last 10 years, we have served over 100 thousand families and individuals in the tri city communities through food bank distribution from 2011 to 2021 at 2501 N .G a r y Ave., 1460 E. Holt Blvd. and 406 W. 2nd St., Radio broadcasts on KLA during August 2019, and TV podcasts on YouTube on"The Crown of Courage: Ethel Gardner story" during 2020 and 2021. On our website, the views of the TV podcasts is 1600 a week. In addition to our Programs, we host several Annual events per year: Million Mothers March, Our Courage awards, Turkey Giveaway, Toy Drive, Christmas Party. In Lite of Covid-19, we are working very hard to see people healed and in a workshop for ment
