Learn About Our Organization and Our Mission

About the Foundation

The Aubrey Rose Foundation was founded in memory of our angel, Aubrey Rose. Aubrey was a very happy baby throughout everything she endured. In her honor, the foundation provides support and help for those who seek to be lifted from the complexities of life here on earth and to find greater happiness in those things that could be. Aubrey brought a great light into our lives. Help us pass that light along. The Aubrey Rose Foundation has donated more than $1 million to families with special-needs children.
The Aubrey Rose Foundation honors Audrey’s life with the following:

  • Awarding educational scholarships for students that have made an impact on the people around them.
  • Helping families with financial needs because of their children’s medical expenses.
  • Brightening the lives of sick children by organizing toy buying and holiday parties.
  • Promoting educational awareness about the need for organ donations.
Aubrey Rose Foundation
A baby is smiling and holding his hands to the side.
  • Healing the World’s Hearts Program – developed by the Foundation with help from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital doctors, surgeons, and corporate support to provide “simple” heart procedures to sick children in the U.S. and developing countries around the world. The “simple” procedures can be performed in the U.S. without follow-up cardiac procedures that can SAVE A CHILD’S LIFE.

LEARN HOW THE AUBREY ROSE FOUNDATION HELPED THE STEIGER FAMILY.  Scroll down to see our video section.

IRS INFORMATION

EIN: 91-2103451. This organization files an IRS Form 990. It is a 501(c)(03) public charity. Information in this report is derived from the IRS Form 990, an annual report filed by nonprofit organizations.

MISSION

Our mission is to help families caring for children with life-threatening illnesses with our focus being on the family unit. We strive to lift families from life’s complexities during this difficult time by providing emotional and financial support.

PHILOSOPHY

To provide a balanced giving program that will put huge smiles on the faces of the children and their families.

Accomplishments

WHAT WE'VE DONE

Awarded 545 Educational Scholarships for students to better themselves. We are on track to give out an additional 35 scholarships each year.

Helped 10,218 families to date with over $1,000,000 in financial assistance. This total is strictly for grants to families and does not include other programs.

Hosted 14 Holiday Parties and organized buying toys and gifts to brighten the lives of sick children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Dayton Children’s.

Supplied camping items for Camp Joyful Hearts in previous years. Each camper received a backpack, umbrella, rain poncho, flashlight, ball cap, camera, beach ball, and beach towel with the Aubrey Rose Foundation logo on them.

In previous years, hosted an annual Hopeful Hearts for Children-themed picnic complete with decorations, crafts, and dinner so that families of “Heart Kids” can start to build lasting relationships.

Our “Aubrey’s Angels” team for the Heart Mini-Marathon for the American Heart Association has raised over $100,000 to help wipe out the #1 killer – heart disease, and the #3 killer – strokes.

Jerry and Nancy Hollenkamp received the Paul Hackman Award from the LifeCenter Organ Donor Network. The Network encourages and coordinates the donation of human organs and tissues for transplantation.

LifeCenter works with 28 area hospitals to serve the people of the Greater Cincinnati area, including Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana. The organization works in conjunction with U.S. Tissue and Cell, the Cincinnati Eye Bank, and the Midwest Ear Foundation.

Aubrey Rose Foundation

Nancy Hollenkamp won the NFL Community Quarterback Award in 2002. The Bengals honored Cincinnati's top civic organizations Tuesday at a Paul Brown Stadium luncheon, where Robert S. Edwards of the Freestore/Foodbank took home the club's NFL Community Quarterback award. A panel headed by Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn made the selection from 10 nominees and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made the presentation.
Each nominee received $1,000 for their organizations, with the winner getting a $10,000 check. The runnerups, Patricia Stewart of The Salvation Army and Edward D. Diller of Family Service, each received $2,500.
Also nominated were James Douglas Armstrong, Esq., of Victory Neighborhood Services Agency, Inc.; Robert Napier of the Boone County Pee Wee Football League; Liz Herald of Brighton Center, Inc.; Barbara C. Rabkin of Jewish Family Service; Gini Haffner of the Mental Health Association of the Cincinnati Area; Nancy Hollenkamp of the Aubrey Rose Hollenkamp Children's Trust; and Brian Brockhoff of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati.

Aubrey Rose Foundation

IN THE NEWS

The British Car Club took place on Sunday, September 12, 2021.

February 23, 2010
Nathans Prayer

Take a look at the wonderful ways the Aubrey Rose Foundation is helping families with financial needs due to the medical needs of their children:
Read More »

THE AUBREY ROSE FOUNDATION: NAMED 2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR IN THE NON-PROFIT SUPPORT ORGANIZATION
THE AUBREY ROSE FOUNDATION: NAMED 2020 NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR IN THE NON-PROFIT SUPPORT ORGANIZATION
October 23, 2009
Cincinnati.com ber 23, 2009
Cincinnati.com

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the aubrey rose foundation video's

Aubrey's Story

WHO IS AUBREY ROSE?

Aubrey Rose Hollenkamp was born in Cincinnati on November 12, 1997, six weeks premature. When she was born, the obstetrician said that she has an angel watching out for her because her placenta was tearing away and seconds later, she could have bled to death. This is how Aubrey came into the world! It was a fight right from the start!

It was soon discovered that she had two holes in her heart. Surgery repaired this at 10 weeks of age. At 6 months, she got a clean bill of health, but at 9 months, Aubrey was diagnosed with a condition called “Scimitar Syndrome.” This is an extremely rare situation where two of her pulmonary veins traveled to her liver instead of to her lungs. We went to the Cleveland Clinic for this repair, which included two more open-heart surgeries, a tricuspid valve replacement, and a permanent pacemaker. Aubrey was in the hospital over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year of 1998.

We came home in the middle of January 1999, on oxygen and a feeding tube. Not only did Aubrey have Scimitar Syndrome; she also had right pulmonary vein stenosis, a condition where her pulmonary veins were closing. Aubrey took a turn for the worse on May 4, 1999, and we were life-flighted to Philadelphia on May 7 for a heart and double-lung transplant. We were on the waiting list for 13 days. Aubrey’s lungs started hemorrhaging, and she was put on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), which is advanced life support on the morning of May 19, 1999. That afternoon, miraculously, there were organs available and they were a perfect match. It was a very rough road to recovery. Aubrey was in the hospital for 4 months. Through everything that Aubrey has been through, she always kept a smile on her face!

AUBREY'S PICTURES

Aubrey Rose Foundation
Aubrey Rose Foundation
Aubrey Rose Foundation
Aubrey Rose Foundation
A baby is laying in the hospital bed.
A family of five posing for a picture.
A woman and two girls holding a baby.
A man holding a baby and another man with a bat.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A man holding a baby in his arms.
A baby is sitting on the ground and eating something.
A birth announcement with black and white border.
A man and woman holding a baby in a hospital room.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A hospital room with many medical equipment on the wall.
A baby with an incision on its chest.
A woman holding her baby in a hospital room.
A couple of kids standing next to each other.
A baby in black dress with white lace around it's neck.
A man laying on the bed with two teddy bears.
A woman and baby are sitting in bed.
A man and woman standing next to a baby.
A baby is strapped to the back of a hospital bed.
A group of people sitting around each other.
A person is being carried by an airplane
A man sitting in the back of an airplane.
A small airplane and ambulance on the tarmac.
A hospital room with many medical equipment on the floor.
A hospital bed with the baby in it.
A man holding a baby in his arms.
A baby in a hospital bed with oxygen masks on.
A couple of people sitting in a room.
A baby with an ear tag and wires attached to it's head.
A baby is laying in the hospital bed.
A baby is laying down in the hospital.
A group of people in a hospital room with babies.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A man and a baby in hospital bed.
A baby with a tube of bandage on his chest.
A young girl sitting in front of an infant with a heart valve.
A young boy sitting in a chair holding a baby.
A woman and child in hospital bed with the caption " oh my goodness i 've had a tough day ".
A man holding a baby in his arms.
A baby in a crib with an iron frame.
A young child wearing a mask and sitting on the bed.
A baby with a bandage on its face and a tube in his mouth.
A man and child in hospital bed with the caption " daddy and aubrey chilling out ".
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A baby with an iv in his mouth and a teddy bear.
A baby and an older man playing with toys.
A family is laying in bed with their baby.
A baby in a hospital bed holding some food.
A group of children in the hospital playing with toys.
A family is laying in bed with their baby.
A baby in a pool of water with a balloon
A woman and child sitting on the floor.
A family of four posing for the camera.
A young boy sitting on the back of an adult with another child.
A family of five posing for the camera.
A family sitting on the porch of their home.
A crowd of people gathered around a train.
A group of people gathered around a bench.
A family posing for a picture in the hallway of their home.
A couple of kids and a baby standing next to each other.
A woman holding a baby and smiling.
A baby sitting in the tub with his mouth open.
A baby sitting in a high chair with many toys.
A woman and child sitting in the snow.
A woman and two children sitting on top of a couch.
A family photo of two adults and one child.
A baby sitting on top of a bed with several stuffed animals.
A man and child wearing baseball hats.
A baby in a dress sitting on the ground
A little girl in a mickey mouse pool.
A young girl sitting on the floor with her teddy bear.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.
A young man holding a little girl in her arms.
A group of people standing in front of a purple wall.
A man and woman sitting in the kitchen together.
A man and boy pose for the camera.
A pair of white tennis shoes on the steps.
A hand with a heart on it and a butterfly on the inside of it.
A letter from the hospital to dr. H. Mackenzie
A baby sitting on top of a blanket.

Every 3 months thereafter, we went back to Philadelphia for biopsies and checkups. One year after the transplant, her doctor found that Aubrey’s right lung was twisted behind her heart and crushing her left lung and Aubrey needed another surgery. The doctors had never seen this before. Aubrey was always teaching the doctors, nurses, and her parents a lesson. So, she had unexpected surgery a few days later to have a lobe of her new lung cut off.

Aubrey was loving life once she recovered from this surgery and we were getting prepared to go back to Philadelphia for her doctor's visit. We could not wait for the doctors in Philadelphia to see how well Aubrey was doing.

We had the shock of our lives on November 10, 2000; at 12:20 a.m., Aubrey passed away suddenly. The autopsy results showed that Aubrey had chronic lung rejection, and unfortunately, there would have been nothing that we could have done about this condition had we known. God took Aubrey quickly and painlessly.

Meet the Board

A group of people standing next to each other.
Aubrey Rose Foundation

JERRY HOLLENKAMP,
CO-FOUNDER

JERRY HOLLENKAMP, CO-FOUNDER

Jerry Hollenkamp left his sales manager position to start up the embroidery and embellishment business, Writely Sew. This company is the social entrepreneurial side of the Foundation with all of the proceeds going back to fund it. His guidance at leading this effort has resulted in continuous growth for the company and Foundation. He attended Northern Kentucky University on a golf scholarship. He continues his love for golf through his membership at Miami View Golf Club. He is married to Nancy and has 3 children and 5 grandsons: Carly (married to Nick), Spencer (married to Lauren), and Aubrey Rose.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

NANCY HOLLENKAMP,
CO-FOUNDER

NANCY HOLLENKAMP, CO-FOUNDER

Nancy Hollenkamp retired from Duke Energy after 41 years. Her full-time job now is the Aubrey Rose Foundation. Nancy and her husband Jerry started the Foundation in honor of their 3rd child, Aubrey Rose, who passed unexpectedly 2 days before her 3rd birthday. When Aubrey passed, Nancy and Jerry felt very strongly about wanting to give back and help others so the Foundation was created. Nancy is the Executive Director of the Aubrey Rose Foundation. Together, Nancy and Jerry have 3 children, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and 5 grandsons.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

SPENCER HOLLENKAMP

SPENCER HOLLENKAMP

Spencer Hollenkamp is proud to be Audrey’s older brother. He has been with the Foundation since the beginning. He attended LaSalle High School and went on to Eastern Kentucky University for his business degree. He helps run the production and digitization departments of Writely Sew. He loves being a manager for Writely Sew and seeing the proceeds help fund the mission of the Foundation.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

KAREN FINLEY

KAREN FINLEY

 

Karen Finley spent most of her career in Information Technology and marketing roles at Cinergy (now Duke Energy) and xpedx, a subsidiary of International Paper. She is now working her dream job as a Design Consultant for Closets by Design. Karen received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati where she majored in quantitative analysis and marketing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, playing golf, reading, and spending time with her husband Bill, and children Andrew and Lauren. 

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

STEVE LOECHTENFELDT

STEVE LOECHTENFELDT

Steve Loechtenfeldt is a mortgage loan officer with AmeriFirst Home Mortgage and loves helping people achieve the “American Dream” of homeownership. He grew up on the west side of Cincinnati and went to Elder High School and further pursued his education at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Business. In his free time, he enjoys watching golf and other sports, coaching his son’s basketball team, and spending time with family.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

NANCY MUSSER

NANCY MUSSER

Nancy Musser has been with the Foundation since the beginning. Nancy retired from Duke Energy after her 40 years as a manager. She continuously helps with the development of policies and procedures to help the Foundation grow. Working with the Aubrey Rose Foundation, Nancy has been able to utilize her natural generosity and creativity. She is a close advisor to co-founder, Nancy Hollenkamp. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband Cliff.

Read More
A woman with brown hair and a white shirt.

DR. CINDY PETTIT

DR. CINDY PETTIT

Dr. Cindy Pettit is a pediatric nurse practitioner and  clinical manager at CCHMC in the Department of Anesthesia.  She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the the University of Cincinnati and doctorate from Xavier University.  No matter who wins the Crosstown Shootout, she is an alumni of the winner.  Cindy has three children, Alex, Zach and Miranda, daughter-in-law, Erica and soon to be daughter in law, Jasmine.  The impact and commitment of the Aubrey Rose Foundation in supporting families and children with chronic health conditions, is the reason she became a member of the board. 

Read More
A man in a suit and tie smiling for the camera.

FRANK GRANDE

FRANK GRANDE

Frank was raised in Boson, MA, but has been in Cincinnati for 20 years.  Frank heads up Literature Fulfillment Services in Blue Ash.  He lives in the Liberty Twp. area with his wife Julie and their beautiful two year old daughter.  Frank has been on the Aubrey Rose Foundation board since 2014 and has helped with many things with his specialty being all of the Foundations' mailing needs.

Read More
A woman in glasses and black jacket smiling.

ALLIE STEVENS

ALLIE STEVENS

Allie Stevens went to St. Ursula Academy and graduated from Ohio State University in 2017. She is now a CPA and works as an auditor for Grant Thornton. Allie was first introduced to the Aubrey Rose Foundation when she received the Aubrey Rose Foundation Scholarship in 2009. Allie and her family quickly became involved in many Aubrey Rose Foundation events and she received the Above and Beyond Award in 2010 and 2012. Allie truly enjoys volunteering with the Aubrey Rose Foundation and being a part of the process that introduced her to the Foundation.

Read More

Meet the Board

A group of people standing next to each other.
Aubrey Rose Foundation

JERRY HOLLENKAMP,
CO-FOUNDER

JERRY HOLLENKAMP, CO-FOUNDER

Jerry Hollenkamp left his sales manager position to start up the embroidery and embellishment business, Writely Sew. This company is the social entrepreneurial side of the Foundation with all of the proceeds going back to fund it. His guidance at leading this effort has resulted in continuous growth for the company and Foundation. He attended Northern Kentucky University on a golf scholarship. He continues his love for golf through his membership at Miami View Golf Club. He is married to Nancy and has 3 children and 5 grandsons: Carly (married to Nick), Spencer (married to Lauren), and Aubrey Rose.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

NANCY HOLLENKAMP,
CO-FOUNDER

NANCY HOLLENKAMP, CO-FOUNDER

Nancy Hollenkamp retired from Duke Energy after 41 years. Her full-time job now is the Aubrey Rose Foundation. Nancy and her husband Jerry started the Foundation in honor of their 3rd child, Aubrey Rose, who passed unexpectedly 2 days before her 3rd birthday. When Aubrey passed, Nancy and Jerry felt very strongly about wanting to give back and help others so the Foundation was created. Nancy is the Executive Director of the Aubrey Rose Foundation. Together, Nancy and Jerry have 3 children, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and 5 grandsons.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

SPENCER HOLLENKAMP

SPENCER HOLLENKAMP

Spencer Hollenkamp is proud to be Audrey’s older brother. He has been with the Foundation since the beginning. He attended LaSalle High School and went on to Eastern Kentucky University for his business degree. He helps run the production and digitization departments of Writely Sew. He loves being a manager for Writely Sew and seeing the proceeds help fund the mission of the Foundation.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

KAREN FINLEY

KAREN FINLEY

 

Karen Finley spent most of her career in Information Technology and marketing roles at Cinergy (now Duke Energy) and xpedx, a subsidiary of International Paper. She is now working her dream job as a Design Consultant for Closets by Design. Karen received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati where she majored in quantitative analysis and marketing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, playing golf, reading, and spending time with her husband Bill, and children Andrew and Lauren. 

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

STEVE LOECHTENFELDT

STEVE LOECHTENFELDT

Steve Loechtenfeldt is a mortgage loan officer with AmeriFirst Home Mortgage and loves helping people achieve the “American Dream” of homeownership. He grew up on the west side of Cincinnati and went to Elder High School and further pursued his education at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Business. In his free time, he enjoys watching golf and other sports, coaching his son’s basketball team, and spending time with family.

Read More
Aubrey Rose Foundation

NANCY MUSSER

NANCY MUSSER

Nancy Musser has been with the Foundation since the beginning. Nancy retired from Duke Energy after her 40 years as a manager. She continuously helps with the development of policies and procedures to help the Foundation grow. Working with the Aubrey Rose Foundation, Nancy has been able to utilize her natural generosity and creativity. She is a close advisor to co-founder, Nancy Hollenkamp. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband Cliff.

Read More
A woman with brown hair and a white shirt.

DR. CINDY PETTIT

DR. CINDY PETTIT

Dr. Cindy Pettit is a pediatric nurse practitioner and  clinical manager at CCHMC in the Department of Anesthesia.  She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the the University of Cincinnati and doctorate from Xavier University.  No matter who wins the Crosstown Shootout, she is an alumni of the winner.  Cindy has three children, Alex, Zach and Miranda, daughter-in-law, Erica and soon to be daughter in law, Jasmine.  The impact and commitment of the Aubrey Rose Foundation in supporting families and children with chronic health conditions, is the reason she became a member of the board. 

Read More
A man in a suit and tie smiling for the camera.

FRANK GRANDE

FRANK GRANDE

Frank was raised in Boson, MA, but has been in Cincinnati for 20 years.  Frank heads up Literature Fulfillment Services in Blue Ash.  He lives in the Liberty Twp. area with his wife Julie and their beautiful two year old daughter.  Frank has been on the Aubrey Rose Foundation board since 2014 and has helped with many things with his specialty being all of the Foundations' mailing needs.

Read More
A woman in glasses and black jacket smiling.

ALLIE STEVENS

ALLIE STEVENS

Allie Stevens went to St. Ursula Academy and graduated from Ohio State University in 2017. She is now a CPA and works as an auditor for Grant Thornton. Allie was first introduced to the Aubrey Rose Foundation when she received the Aubrey Rose Foundation Scholarship in 2009. Allie and her family quickly became involved in many Aubrey Rose Foundation events and she received the Above and Beyond Award in 2010 and 2012. Allie truly enjoys volunteering with the Aubrey Rose Foundation and being a part of the process that introduced her to the Foundation.

Read More

BOARD OF MEDICAL ADVISORS

The following Board of Medical Advisors were all of Aubrey’s Doctors who
have agreed to be advisors for the Aubrey Rose Foundation.

SHARON HARP, M.D.

Queen City Physicians
Children’s Hospital Medical Center Pediatrics

ROBERT L. SPICER, M.D.

Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Cardiology
Faculty Appointment: Professor of Pediatrics

Special Interests: Cardiac Transplantation

JEFFREY M. PEARL, M.D

Phoenix Children’s Hospital, formerly at Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Faculty Appointment: Co-Medical Director

Special Interests: Repair of congenital cardiac defects; cardiac transplantation; hypoxia/reperfusion injury, neonatal myocardial function, and tolerance to heart surgery.

ROGER MEE, M.B., CH.B, F.R.A.C.S.

Formerly at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Chairman, Department of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery

Special Interests: congenital heart surgery, pediatric heart, and lung transplantation; thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. Joint Appointment with Thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

NANCY D. BRIDGES, M.D.

National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, formerly at Children’s Hosp. of Philadelphia where Aubrey was transplanted.
Nancy is now Chief of the Transplantation Immunology Branch.

Special Interests: Dr. Bridges has been involved in the care of children with end-stage cardiovascular disease and those receiving thoracic organ transplants for the past 13 years.

THOMAS L. SPRAY, M.D.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Director, Heart and Heart/Lung Transplantation Services
Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Assistant Cardiologist

Special Interests: Reparative cardiac surgery in infants with complex congenital malformations; cardiac, cardiopulmonary, and pulmonary transplantation.