"Kids Inspiring and Helping Kids"
Inspire and nurture the human spirit though the magic of kids helping kids in need of a smile. OUR MISSIONOUR FOUNDEROur Mission
The Little Saint Nick Foundation (LSNF), a registered 501C3 non-profit organization, mission is to create a positive mentality for kids in crisis through the compassionate power of a helping hand. We deliver smiles to these kids by connecting them with kids in local communities that are inspired to give back. Through our promise of “Kids Inspiring and Helping Kids”TM, the Little Saint Nick Foundation strives to lift kids up and realize their full potential.
Years ago at LSNF, we stumbled upon something so simple and impactful it almost seemed magical – the power of a helping hand, particularly when it’s kids helping kids. And since then, we’ve seen this playout, over and over again. When a young child finds themselves in an unfamiliar and somewhat scary situation, like a children’s hospital, fear and anxiety can naturally set in. Yet, when presented with a supportive ally, particularly from another child, there is this transformative moment when the expression on the child’s face turns from fear to a smile. It’s magical, happy and healing. Their world changes from one of uncertainty to the confidence of knowing I have an army of other kids on my side. And for those children who are giving their time and effort to help kids in need of a smile, they experience the gift of giving, another magical and character-building moment that grows from the selfless act of giving.
Our immediate focus has been on hospitals where we have had considerable success changing the fortunes of patients, partners and participants. With our young patients, the benefits are most pronounced helping to ease the anxiety that comes from being in a hospital. For our hospital partners, we’ve seen dramatic improvements in care-giver experience, employee satisfaction and community goodwill. And finally, for the kids and their parents who give their time and extend a helping hand to kids in need of a smile, we’ve seen young kids walk away from the experience both fulfilled and inspired to continue to be community service minded and lend a helping hand to those in need of a smile.
Today, our goal is to carry out our founder's giving passion by having kids of all ages giving back to those in need of a smile. We center our impact in communities by providing simple, anti-anxiety gift bags that contain items such as a coloring book, crayons, stuffed animal, and a handmade get-well card made by kids, for kids. These gift bags have an everyday impact by providing a positive distraction for patients, improving hospital employee morale, and empowering kids of all ages in communities to become future leaders. With our current resources, we inspire and help over 300 people in communities and hospitals every day of the year, spreading our movement of “Kids Inspiring and Helping Kids”TM. LSNF seeks to expand our impact in the communities we serve by establishing two-way partnerships with hospitals, businesses, and youth groups. Our goal is to serve more kids in hospitals while empowering kids in communities to give back. Every $10 packs a gift bag for one kid in the hospital. This also provides an outlet for one kid volunteer to pack a gift bag and hand write a get-well card.
Our Founder
The Little Saint Nick Foundation (LSNF) was founded in 2004 by Raymond Mohler Jr. (Ray) at age six. Ray had a scary hospital experience as a child but was able to leave the hospital after one day. Feeling fortunate that he did not have a life-threatening nor permanent disease, but rather one that is treatable and fully recoverable, Ray decided he needed to give back to the kids whom he left behind at the hospital who were not as fortunate as he was. Ray’s mission – even at his young age – was to help relieve the fear, anxiety and isolation experienced by children related to a child’s hospital visit. Ray’s birthday is Christmas Eve, which has been the driving force of empowering the giving spirit every day of the year.
Over the past 19 years, Raymond Mohler Jr. (Ray) has become a well-respected youth philanthropist. Ray grew up in Lynbrook, NY where the Little Saint Nick Foundation (LSNF) was founded when Ray was just six years old. Ray and LSNF have developed many anxiety-relief programs in conjunction with pediatric hospitals and has successfully changed how kids experience their hospital visits, serving over two million kids and counting. Ray has had the honor while growing up of being named a Prudential Spirit of Community National Honoree, Featured on Nickelodeon’s the H.A.L.O Effect, and ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Ray graduated from the University of Tampa in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, while also being named the Dr. Alan Weimer Entrepreneurship Student of the Year. In 2023, Ray was honored at the University of Tampa's Alumni Awards and was named the Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Ray’s goal is to scale the LSNF mission to all 50 states and internationally while maintaining that local feel of kids helping kids.
