"Yes, And" Campaign I'm a former pessimist, and I hated every minute of it. Finding fault was easy. Making a convincing case for an unpleasant outcome didn't take much creativity, and I usually felt worse afterward.

At Jack’s, we believe caregivers’ stories deserve to be heard. Stephen Stewart has been caring for his wife, Judy, since 2021, and he generously shared his story with our community. Here it is, in his own words.

A caregiver recently told me she "struggles with how heavily Jack's messaging focuses on male caregivers, particularly when many of the challenges being described feel universal to caregivers regardless of gender."

It's a beautiful summer Sunday, the day before school starts. The Minnesota State Fair is buzzing a few miles away. Meanwhile, I'm walking alone through Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, waiting to meet thirteen strangers to talk about death. This was my first Death Cafe.

“Ask Ray if he's a caregiver, and he'll shrug — he doesn't see himself in that word. Ask him if he's a provider, and his spine will straighten. That's the identity he's allowed to have. Ray doesn't know there's an organization that's built for guys like him. Most guys don't. - Kyle Woody”

“For a caregiver, home might be his relationship with his dad who was just diagnosed with a brain tumor that lives in another state. Or his relationship with his best friend who just came home from combat with severe PTSD.” - Kyle Woody

We first met Eric Schlueter in June of 2023. He reached out to Jack’s soon after his wife, Melissa—his childhood sweetheart and best friend—passed away. Eric intentionally leaned into his grief, knowing that this time, the healing process had to be about him.

" From left to right: Julie, Adam, Tom, Rob, and Maury " At Jack’s, our values are not slogans. They are lived every day through the people who make this community what it is. People who show up for others, carry hard things with courage, and remind us that strength is often quiet, steady, and ...

" From left to right: Scott, Zoe, and Sam Taylor " Wrap Caregivers In Presence With A Year-End Gift Today Boxes stacked under trees. Paper torn open. Things carefully chosen, bought, and wrapped. Christmas is built around giving something you can hold. But for the Taylor family this Christmas, what ...

If know anything about me, you know that improv is a very important part of my life. After the loss of my wife way back in 1997 it was improv that brought me back from an impossible dark space. Jenni Lilledahl, the then co-owner of The Brave New Workshop comedy theatre put the pieces together that ...

Jack’s Caregiver Coalition is thrilled to welcome Paurvi Bhatt, MPH, as our newest Board Member! Paurvi joins Jack’s as a globally recognized healthcare executive, systems strategist, and public health economist with a deep commitment to building a more compassionate and connected care economy. ...

Things have been tough for Adam Kobler the past couple of years. On November 16th, 2023 he lost the love of his life, Kate. "When you lose the person you're sharing your life with, all the plans that you had for your life go with them," Adam shared. For him and many "Jacks" who lose their loved one ...

Shanna Swanson, Executive Director of the Firefly Sisterhood, is a kindred spirt. As I sat furiously taking notes during an interview with her, I paused for a moment and realized that I was anticipating her thoughts. If it wasn’t clear to me before we sat down (and it kinda was) it was clear to me ...

For the past few years, Jack’s has put on The Big GIVE – your classic nonprofit fundraiser with auctions, paddle raises, and inspiring speakers. The idea was simple: raise a lot of money in one night. But the truth is, there were a lot of yearly struggles. Many of our donors spend their falls and ...

Jack Pallas has spent his life caring for and about other people. I first spoke with this caregiver a couple days after Christmas 2024. Jack reached out on the 26th and wasn't expecting to start his relationship with us within 24 hours. He shared with me his wife Julie had passed away a month prior ...

On Wednesday July 17th, 2025, we had a chance to roll up with The Storm Chaser to support the American Cancer Society's ACS Empower Open House at the Richard M. Schulze Family Hope Lodge in Minneapolis. We were proud to cook food, connect with everyone, and stand alongside so many incredible ...

It’s an honor to be the lead volunteer blazing the trail for the first ever Carry That Weight campaign. Just as Jack’s is blazing the trail for strengthening men who are caregivers. I came to Jack’s about a year and half ago after my late partner Kate passed away. The Sequel Makers side of Jack’s ...

Stephen Stewart is a regular attendee of Jack’s Caregiver Klatch. He is “a forever and always caregiver” for his wife of 49 years, Judy. I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen at a community table event a couple of years back. He became a member of Jack’s a short while later and views Jack’s monthly ...

From Left to Right: Erica Heyse, Diane Ty, Bryan Buckley, Paxton Baker, Richard Lui, Jason Resendez, Helen Bryant, Marion Phillips III, Didier Trinh, John Mullins, Kyle Woody, Rita Choula, Jean Accius, Liza Morris, Audrey Harrison, Dwan Reece

Gilda’s Club Minnesota has been around for about as long as Jack's Caregiver Coalition and I (Jeff) am lucky enough to have been part of the incredible organization since it opened its doors. Gilda’s was instrumental in helping me through my second go-around as a caregiver.

I’m confident that anyone who has ever founded a non-profit remembers the moment their first sponsor signed on. It was 2015, and I remember it like it was yesterday. There it was, a text from Bob Gardner telling me Gardner Builders would be the presenting sponsor of our first-ever fundraising ...

Roger embraces his path in life better than most. It isn’t easy being a widower (Sequel Maker, in Jack’s speak). He pays attention to his grief and knows that he can live in harmony with it. Last year, Roger took on the task of leading our monthly Sequel Maker Klatch (that’s a support group in ...

Our founders Dustin Cesarek, Justin Nicolay, and Kyle Woody in 2015 pictured here with Tom Trefethen, the first caregiver who asked for our help.

As the year comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible individuals and organizations who have made a difference at Jack’s Caregiver Coalition. From sharing stories that inspire, to providing unwavering support behind the scenes, these contributions fuel our mission and create ...