This month, we are highlighting a particular group of very special individuals that TIFF’s Initiative would benefit: those who can't or might not be able to provide contact information in an emergency. Those like Julian,...

Last week, TIFF’s Initiative expanded its area of influence when we went live in Kentucky, only a few months after beginning the process of introducing the initiative to the state legislature. Since our goal is to be active and growing in every state, this is a big win for TIFF! We’re now in seven states, with the expectation of adding Texas, Indiana and Pennsylvania soon. As people learn about TIFF, they discover that the need for it is massive and the only real way to experience change is to spread the word and take an active role in bringing awareness to this need. Will you...

I’ve been writing about TIFF for a while now, always with the conviction that everyone needs this system in place in their lives. I’ve told Christine Olson’s story, I’ve recounted several other stories of...

She’s not gone… she’s just elsewhere.  

Like most great ideas, it started with a question on a legal pad. “What do you think about putting emergency contacts in your driver’s license?” And just like that, TIFF’s Initiative was born. Last Friday night, Christine Olson and the TIFF team participated in a local gala where the Anna Maria Chamber of Commerce presented awards to the Best Non-Profit of the Year, as well as the Best Small, Medium and Large Businesses of the Year. TIFF, as a non-profit organization, has been a finalist 3 time now, and each time, remains a finalist. While the...

Seven years ago, on Good Friday, Georgia Gibbons was struck by a car as she walked across the street in downtown Tallahassee while talking on her cell phone. She had severe brain injuries and was immediately taken to the Emergency Room at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Were it not for the fact that she was registered already with TIFF, her parents may not have known what happened for hours, if not days. Fortunately, an officer came to the home of George’s parents at 4 AM, less than two hours after the accident occurred, to let them know what had happened. Being hit as a pedestrian,...

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells has worked with Christine for a number of years as a supporter and advocate of TIFF’s Initiative. Sheriff Wells sees the need for an Emergency Contact Information (ECI) system in very pragmatic...

Last week, we reflected on the 16th anniversary of 9/11, when our nation was thrown into turmoil and grief over senseless terrorist attacks on our own soil. Floridians also remembered the devastation, stress, and uncertainty we lived through just a year before when hit by Hurricane Irma, the...

One of the goals we have at TIFF is to show the need for everyone to register their emergency contact information, no matter where you live or what season of life you’re in. There is the potential for everyone to need this service somehow in their lives. This week, we spotlight Meme Signor, wife of 15 years and mother of...

This week we’d like to introduce you to Lorna Pierce, a long-time supporter of TIFF’s Initiative. Lorna has worked with Christine since the formation of this not-for-profit in the capacity of bookkeeper, helping Christine get set up financially. She plays a vital role in the operations of TIFF, but Lorna is motivated by a much deeper purpose behind what she does. When she met Christine, Lorna was volunteering at the Children’s Memorial Garden in Sarasota. You see, just like Christine, Lorna had lost a child in a car accident, too. She found ways to stay connected,...

We say this all the time to friends and family as they set out on a vacation or journey, but do we ever actually take steps to ensure safety? As we pulled out of the driveway in our rented minivan, my fiance said a quick prayer over us for safe travels. We were embarking on a 16-hour overnight drive to visit his family with five kids in tow. We needed all the help we could get. Knowing that any adventure includes a fair amount of risk, we also understand the reward can be truly worth it. Peace of mind means a great deal when you think about all the things that could go wrong. With the noise...

This month, we’re highlighting an important member of our TIFF community. Jon Stuart has an extensive background in marketing and entrepreneurship. Included among his many accolades are the title of Administrative Manager for Xerox Corporation Area Sales Office in Indianapolis, IN, and...

Any mom will tell you that you don’t stop being a mom just because your child reaches a certain age. You will always want to protect them, care for them and hold their hand through the darkest nights. Many mothers will tell you some of their hardest moments as a parent were knowing...

Meet Jenny Morrison, a new TIFF ambassador who came to us through the worst circumstances imaginable. But through her horrifying circumstances, Jenny is finding purpose in spreading the news about TIFF. Her hope is to save other families from the agony she endured. Jenny learned about Christine Olson and TIFF’s Initiative after her husband lost his life in a fatal car accident. At the scene of the accident, there was confusion about his identification since his...

Matthew is a Web Developer who works for a small company in Sarasota, Florida. He creates and maintains websites for clients by day and for friends in his spare time. He began studying Web Development at Manatee Technical College, and since graduating from there, has taught himself more varied skills in the Web Development field. Matthew first connected with Christine in 2015, while still a student at MTC. “Christine came to our Web Development class looking...

Tonight as I pen this post, our fearless leader, Christine Olson, is representing this brave initiative at one of our area's most prestigious charitable fundraisers. Generosity, hosted by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, will line up the brightest and most deserving non-profits in four counties for businesses across the nation to support. Representatives of each charity will have the opportunity to explain and discuss their true passion, the heart and purpose of their being, as they persuade businesses to support...

“To have a child is to have your heart go walking around outside of your body.” Not too long after the second of my three daughters was born, I heard this quote. With a toddler and a newborn orbiting my life constantly, I had never heard more truth spoken. I was surrounded by other moms with small children then, too. We were navigating these new waters together and life was blossoming as our little “hearts” scampered all over the playground or each other’s living rooms. Now, with teenagers and...

Anytime I find myself unable to fully control a situation my kids are in, I tend to imagine the worst possible scenario. It seems to be a coping mechanism, and I imagine I’m not alone in my thinking. Moms, do you picture the house suddenly catching on fire the minute you leave the kids alone for a quick trip to the grocery store? Do you know for a fact they WILL be kidnapped if you let them go to the movies with their friends? Kids crossing the street is certain to bring the one hit-and-run driver in town to your street at...

This particular holiday can conjure up so many emotions in different people. The forlorn, downcast, and unlucky-in-love seek to simply survive the barrage of pink and red candy hearts on every aisle of every store. The newly-attached enthusiastically draw on their creative juices to exhibit their significant feelings for their significant other. Personally, my favorite part of Valentine’s Day is seeing my daughters wake up to treats waiting for them at the breakfast table. We rarely eat breakfast together anymore, and...

While most of the country is complaining about driving in dismal winter conditions, here in sunny Florida we encounter a totally different issue with winter driving: snowbirds. From October through April, the number of cars on the road increases by 20-30% due to the influx of winter residents- those individuals who migrate south for the winter to avoid the cold. Restaurants and local businesses love the extra business, but regular year-long residents find “season” to be nothing short of annoying. Getting a table for...