The Smiley Project - Family & Friends Fundraising

Enjoy delicious food, amazing live music, and award winning beers. All while making a difference together! This charity event is sponsored by the newly incorporated Family & Friends Fundraising organization and will benefit the The Smiley Project. This is an all ages, ticketed event.

$65 Adult Admission includes:

• Dinner by Noble Beast food truck
• Beer or glass of wine
• VIP seating and bar area
• Special access to our Silent Auction!

$20 Kids Admission includes:

• Dinner by Noble Beast food truck
• Non alcoholic beverage

My name is Amanda. I’m the oldest child of Perry & Christine Smiley. I’d like to tell you a little about my family and why we are planning this fundraiser event.

Growing up in the Smiley household, my parents were amazing at providing for their kids - myself, Matt, and Sam. Even in times of struggle, they never let us see or feel the insecurity or instability that families sometimes go through. They raised us to be thoughtful, selfless, and always showed us the value of family. If you know my parents, you know that we were never short on fun adventures, laughs brought on by my dad's goofy humor, and fun family & friend gatherings with my mom always making sure the needs of everyone around her were always met. Great friends. Great hosts. Generous individuals. I have always aspired to be like them.

What you may not know is that my parents have recently gone through incredible hardship. A handful of years ago my dad suddenly and unexpectedly was laid off from work. Due to the timing of his lay off, my parents lost the entirety of what would have been their retirement savings. They tried tirelessly to keep things afloat, faced with the struggle to keep up with their bills, all while my dad started to experience cognitive issues that we realized were preventing him from keeping other work.

After many hurdles and lengthy doctor visits, my dad, Perry, was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s. For those of you who don’t know much about this disease, just know this is a terminal diagnosis. He will continue this cognitive decline until it claims his life. Early Onset Alzheimer’s is a more aggressive form of Alzheimer’s, and the average person lives 8 to 11 years after diagnosis. There is no cure. There is no treatment. There is just the unknown time that you have left.

My mom, Chris, has become his primary caregiver. It’s not only a full time job for her. It’s now their life 24/7. After the diagnosis their lives were forever changed. My parents had been struggling financially since the lay off, but they didn’t really share it with anyone. My mom, like always, put her needs aside and let our family focus remain on processing the “bigger issue” - the slow and impending loss of my father. Unfortunately, just over 6 months ago, they couldn’t keep up any longer and they lost their home of over 20 years. By the time anyone realized how deeply they were struggling, it had already been foreclosed and auctioned off. They lost their sanctuary, their comfort zone, and the place of familiarity for my dad, who is becoming increasingly lost and confused with his surroundings. All gone, including every bit of equity they had in it.

The one miracle in all of this loss is that my family owns a 700 sq ft, fixer upper home in Lincoln, CA. We were grateful they had some semblance of a home to settle into. However, the water lines were rusted through, it needed serious electrical work. It also has no heating or air, foundation problems, an empty shell where the kitchen should be, and a roof in need of major repair. But it can be a place for them to call home. We scraped together what we could (financially and physically) to make some of the immediate repairs to get them housed. There is still a long way to go though.

Month by month my dad’s care will become increasingly more difficult and expensive. At present, he requires constant supervision. He requires help to prepare all meals, to get dressed, and for all his grooming needs. My mom has been able to work part time with help from other family members, but she doesn’t have the opportunity to be a full time financial provider. They’ve found themselves in the position of being on a fixed, limited income from my dad’s disability and no savings or equity that they once had. As difficult as it is to ask for help... they need it.

Most urgently, they need the roof repaired to be considered safe for them to continue to live there. They need a kitchen with basic amenities to prepare their food every day. And beyond that, they could use any additional funds to help with their general household expenses and growing medical needs. As a family, we continue to show up for each other, do what we can manage, and find joy in the time we’re able to be together. We’ve reached our limit though on what we can financially or physically do to improve their household conditions. And the needs are urgent. It is my hope that there are family, friends, and neighbors who may be in a position to provide additional support. If you’re able to contribute to this cause monetarily, any amount will be an immense relief to my parents and family. Through the Family and Friends Fundraising Foundation, we are also able to receive donations from persons or businesses who are in the unique position to donate resources or time. Just know, we will be forever grateful for any way in which you can show up for us. Just knowing that you’re keeping our family in your thoughts means so much to us, as well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

-Amanda Smiley

Host or Publisher Family & Friends Fundraising