FUNraiser October 23rd

Join us for the 4th annual "FUNraiser" hosted by the Jack Gives Back Foundation!

Help us continue our mission of providing joy to children and young adults with special needs or illnesses and their families through dolphin therapy experiences at Island Dolphin Care.

In 2017, Jamie Whitford paved the way, followed by 4 families in 2018. In 2019, we sent another 4 families with 6 total scholarships, (3 children in one family).

IDC was closed due to Covid in 2020 and 2021. When they re-opened in 2022 we sent 7 families, 10 families in 2023, 9 families in 2024, and 12 families in 2025! Thanks to a very generous grant at the end of 2025, we have been able to send a record 16 families this year, all of whom have had the opportunity to experience the transformative power of IDC.

Your support at our FUNraiser will enable us to continue our mission to make unforgettable memories and a positive impact in the lives of these families. Together, we can celebrate the memory of Jack Tusick and the joy he brought to all.

Join us in giving back!

October 23, 2026

St. Demetrius
22909 Center Ridge Rd, Westlake

6:00pm-11:00pm

Join us for:
Silent Auction
Chinese Raffle
Rare Bourbon Pull
Sideboards
WIN a wheelbarrow full of fun!
And More…

The Jack Gives Back Foundation is a private non-profit established to honor the life and memory of Jack Tusick. The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life, and provide enriching life experiences, for children with special needs and their families. 

Jack Tusick was a beautiful young man born with severe congenital heart defects in July 1994. He was the third child of Ray and Sandy and had two siblings, Hillary and Matt. Jack was a miracle boy, surviving four open-heart surgeries, a traumatic brain injury, and a six-hour cardiac catheterization. Although he could not sit up, walk, talk, or perform basic tasks independently, his bright smile and infectious laughter touched everyone who met him. 

Jack began swimming with Squirt, his finned friend at Island Dolphin Care (IDC), in 2002. Not only was their relationship special, but Jack also learned during his 30 weeks at IDC how to use an eye-gaze computer. The technology gave Jack a voice with his peers and enabled him to communicate his wants and needs. 

Jack lost his battle with heart disease four days shy of his 22nd birthday. His last year was filled with belly laughs, amazing smiles, a trip to Disney, and six week-long trips to IDC — some of the happiest times of his life. Please help us honor Jack’s beautiful spirit through the Jack Gives Back Foundation. Your tax-deductible donation will help us provide adaptive equipment and dolphin-assisted therapy for other children with special needs and their families. 

Jack Gives Back is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation; contributions tax deductible.