April 2025 Newsletter: Honoring the National Month of Hope

“Love is a springtime plant that perfumes everything with its hope, even the ruins to which it clings.”

— Gustave Flaubert

April represents the month of National Hope. At CRF, hope is the driving force behind everything we do as we work tirelessly to find a cure for D.I.P.G. This month, we celebrate the hope that fuels our efforts and the strength of the families and communities supporting this critical mission.

The Cristian Rivera Foundation extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in the 2025 Annual Raffle Project and helped make it a success! This annual project raises funds for D.I.P.G. research and supports families affected by the disease. Your generous contributions will help fund critical research and provide much-needed financial assistance to these families.

Congratulations to the winners!

Board Member and professional boxer Edgar Berlanga made a generous contribution to CRF while enjoying dinner with CRF Founder

John Gungie Rivera. In addition to his financial support, Edgar proudly wears our foundation’s logo on his trunks during fights and visits children battling D.I.P.G. to uplift their spirits. We’re deeply grateful for his continued commitment.

Board Member and award-winning News Anchor of NBC’s Today in New York, Darlene Rodriguez was recently featured in Ms. Magazine, where she discussed her career, motherhood, and her 25 years at NBC. Darlene does so much for our foundation, and we could not be more proud of her!

Read the article here

Board Member and Actor Berto Colon recently appeared on Fox 5 NY’s “Good Night New York” to discuss CRF’s mission and our upcoming events. Watch his interview here.

Berto was also featured in People en Español’s "25 Poderosas," recognizing him as one of the 25 most powerful Latinos in the U.S. His standout performance in The Night Agent cemented his place among this prestigious group. We’re incredibly proud of Berto!

Francheska Santos, mother of D.I.P.G. Angel, Carlos “Juju” Ibarra, courageously shared her heartbreaking and inspiring story with CRF. She spoke about the painful loss of her son to D.I.P.G. and how she found hope again when it seemed like all was lost.

Read “Francheska Santos’ Journey of Hope After Loss: A Mother’s Tribute to Juju’s Memory” here.

From all of us at CRF, we wish you a happy birthday. Without your support and gratitude, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish what we do here. Your dedication means the world to us.

We Love You 10!

Our angels are members of our community who have lost their difficult battles against D.I.P.G. They will always be a part of the CRF family and in sharing their experience with D.I.P.G. we hope to amplify the urgency to find a cure. We work in honor of our angels so that no other child will lose their life to D.I.P.G. again. Let us honor our April Angel birthdays and Angelversaries. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones.

These angels will never be forgotten.

Please Take A Few Minutes To Watch The 2 Videos Below

Hotel Planner is one of the official partners of the Cristian Rivera Foundation

Need a hotel- Hotel Planner has got you covered.
hotelplanner.com   ­ ͏

Sincerely,
Cristian Rivera Foundation