Helping special kiddos achieve more. 

The Jiselle Lauren Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists to advocate for, connect with, and provide opportunities for children with disabilities. Through generous donations and giving efforts, we are able to provide financial support to children and their families that allows them access to therapies, medical care, devices, equipment, transportation, and many other resources. Our purpose is to bring more joy to these kiddos and their families through everyday moments and experiences. 

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GRANTS

IMPACT

Donations

The Jiselle Lauren Foundation helps children regardless of diagnosis or disease because no matter what, it is life-altering. We work to support families in the here and now, providing their children with opportunities and resources that have an immediate impact on their life. Of the funds donated to our organization, 90% goes directly back to the children and families we serve. The remainder goes toward the expansion of our vision to help thousands of children globally. 

At every event, through every touch point you have with our foundation, you can expect to feel empowered to support and make an impact alongside us. 

Meet Liya!

Preethi and Adesh were blessed with a beautiful daughter 3.5 years ago. At 9-12 months, Liya was not reaching the milestones other kids her age were. Her parents knew something was different and that something wasn’t right. From there Preethi and Adesh began the search for diagnosis for their sweet Liya. At age 3, Liya was diagnosed with Rett syndrome - a rare genetic condition that affects every aspect of Liya’s life.

Their hearts sank with the diagnosis and they grieved the life they once thought they’d have, but they were determined to prove the specialists in India wrong. Preethi and Adesh learned about Rett University and were determined to give Liya a voice. Through the Jiselle Lauren Foundation, Liya has been able to receive a Tobii eye gaze which gives Liya a way to communicate and help her reach her full potential.

“We hope to bring about a change, share our experiences and inspire other families in India to help their kids reach their full potential. We are incredibly grateful to The Jiselle Lauren Foundation for giving our child hope for a better future and for giving her a chance to have her own voice.” -Preethi and Adesh

Meet Linday!

Lindsay is an eight-year-old little girl, who was diagnosed with Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, at the age of two. At the time, no doctor her family encountered had ever heard of it. It is a rare disorder, that little is still known about. Primary complications include being non-mobile, nonverbal, having seizures, and being completely dependent. Since it is so rare, it is also something that Lindsay’s family’s insurance company does not acknowledge in most cases.

Even with insurance, costs can be astronomical, to cover the therapies, equipment, and support Lindsay needs on a daily basis. Lindsay is ready for a new wheelchair, but doesn’t qualify for one yet. The Jiselle Lauren Foundation has been able to help Lindsay’s family grow her current chair to expand the life of her chair and help Lindsay reach her full potential.

“We are so appreciative, to be able to help extend the life of her current wheelchair, as there are so many other expenses we incur on a daily basis for Lindsay.” - Lindsay’s family

Meet Berkley!

Our daughter Berkley has a very unique neurological disorder known as Rett Syndrome. Rett Syndrome is a rare non-inherited genetic postnatal neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in girls and leads to severe impairments, affecting nearly every aspect of the child’s life: their ability to speak, walk, eat, and even breathe easily.

We started noticing some significant changes in her around the age of 12 months. Changes that were terrifying to be blunt. She had about 4 words, was able to feed herself, drink out of a sippy cup, and play with her toys as any typically developing 1 year old would do. We started noticing she was having a really hard time picking up her cereal and holding onto her drinking cup. She would look at it as if she had no clue what to do. She stopped playing with all her toys and began rocking back and forth making odd vocalizations. Then the words stopped. Rett Syndrome had reared its ugly head and was beginning to take everything from her. Next the biting started, which now we know is a terrible regression phase the girls experience as all of their skills are literally leaving their bodies. Berkley was frustrated, angry, and confused as she was now trapped in a body that did not work.

Today Berkley is 10 and in a 5th grade general education classroom with a wonderful group of friends who adore her. She has a team at school who has molded her into an exceptional student and are able to communicate with her through a communication device that works off Berkley’s eye gaze called a Tobii. We are still participating in private therapies as well as therapies in the school system. She also enjoys Hippotherapy with Full Circle and her horse Mariah. She is an outstanding big sister to her 4 year old sister Charlie always giving her sweet smiles and letting Charlie snuggle on her anytime she wants. - Christy and Jeremy

Grants

The children we support are empowered to continuously grow with the support of their families. 

We know firsthand that there are hard days for children with disabilities. It is our goal to make every experience as joy-filled as possible. 

We also recognize that parents, guardians, and caretakers can feel so alone while supporting their children with disabilities so we seek to brighten their day through every touchpoint. We provide a little bit of sunshine in your life on this journey.

If you’ re seeking a grant for a child in your life, please take a moment to apply. 

“I am humbled to be considered for this grant. It means so much to me that someone would want to help my family. There are times that I feel completely alone in all of my struggles, so when I received the email congratulating me on the grant, I was overcome with gratitude.” - Anna Owen

“The grant will allow us to buy supplies for therapy sessions and homeschooling. The grant will also allow us to purchase equipment for the sensory space we are creating in our home, which will be beneficial to both boys.” - Alisa Thomas

“Leah Glynn is growing so much, and she has grown out of her seating that we have modified at home and she is way too long for her stroller. This grant will allow me to give her a better seating options while at home. She enjoys being around her sisters (soon to be 17 and 10) and on their eye level. They love to go on walks, so the new adaptive stroller will be a great addition,” - Leah Glynn’s Family

Our Impact

We’ re here to help your child be able to do things that you want to give them access to whether that’s music therapy, a medical device, or anything in between, we’re here to figure it out - let’’ s make amazing things happen for these kids together.

Since the start of The Jiselle Lauren Foundation in 2019, we have been able to support our mission and make an impact in the lives of others by donating and granting $115k as of April 1, 2022. These funds have gone to 34 families and 4 organizations.

We’re Bailey and Jill Pratt,
Co-founders and parents to three sweet kiddos, including Jiselle.

Similarly to most children with disabilities, Jiselle’s journey has not been easy. Around 10 months of age, her family realized she was not achieving the normal developmental milestones. After years of visits with multiple specialists, ongoing therapies, and the endless pursuit for answers, Jiselle was formally diagnosed with a rare disorder, Rett syndrome, when she was 3 ½ years old. Jiselle receives physical, occupational, and speech therapy through her school and through private therapy organizations. 

As special needs parents, we understand that meeting the needs of children with disabilities can be financially taxing. We personally know the cost of therapies, medical care, devices, equipment, enhancement to facilities, transportation, and many other expenses that add up quickly. Therefore, we aim to help any family whose child has a special need or disability achieve things that wouldn't be possible otherwise. 

The Jiselle Lauren foundation is an IRS certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Money raised will be for two purposes:

Donating funds to national foundations for Jiselle’’ s diagnosis. These organizations do amazing things to accelerate research for a cure and empower families with information, knowledge and connectivity.

Improving the experience and potential for all special needs children here in Jiselle’s hometown of Middle Tennessee and expanding nationwide.