The generous spirit of the Knaul family is well-known by their family and friends. Kevin and Tiffany Knaul, along with their children Emily and Carter, frequently gave back to their community and spent their time volunteering. Several years ago, after Kevin’s sudden passing, the family was left devastated but also wanted to honor his legacy in a meaningful way. Knowing how much he loved giving back to others, the family knew that the best way to memorialize Kevin would be to continue to support what he loved.
One of the organizations Kevin and his family loved was Hephzibah. For the past 10 years the Knauls, along with several other families, began a Thanksgiving Day tradition of bringing an entire holiday meal to the children and staff at Hephzibah Home. The family learned of Hephzibah after selecting them as the recipient of the Hinsdale Junior Women’s Club fundraising gift years before. They fell in love with the organization. Together, the families gave up the holiday with their own extended families to make Hephzibah Home Thanksgiving their new holiday tradition.
According to Tiffany, their children began to think of this holiday tradition as their own, growing up alongside the children at Hephzibah Home. Kevin and Tiffany cherished the time spent celebrating with staff and the children at the home, watching their own children learn to see the world through the eyes of kids who had endured difficulty. Together, as a family, they learned compassion and empathy, and embraced the idea of sharing celebrations with others.
As these families continue their tradition of bringing Thanksgiving to Hephzibah Home, Tiffany is continuing the tradition of generosity in their family by choosing Hephzibah as the recipient of the Knaullapalooza Memorial Golf Outing proceeds. Each year since Kevin’s passing, Tiffany has organized a golf fundraiser in honor of Kevin and what he loved, selecting organizations that were near and dear to Kevin’s heart as beneficiaries. We are honored to be this year’s chosen organization.
According to Tiffany, “Our family benefits just as much as Hephzibah because to give to others through hardship means we all have something to give to others at any moment, and that helps the healing. This creates a cycle of empathy and kindness that the world needs.”
The Knaul family is generous beyond words. We are grateful for their support in both their actions and the gifts they give. Their kindness means the world to the children and staff at the home, and to all of us at Hephzibah.