FUN-LANTHROPY'S FOUNDER, TYLER CHRISTOPHERSON, HAS A DAUGHTER THAT IS DEAF. SHE ATTENDED A PRE-SCHOOL IN ROSEVILLE (MN) CALLED, NORTHERN VOICES. THEY TEACH DEAF CHILDREN HOW TO FIND THEIR VOICE USING ONLY SPOKEN LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE. ALL STUDENTS USE COCHLEAR IMPLANTS AND/OR HEARING AIDS TO HELP THEM HEAR. HARPER STARTED HEARING WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD. BECAUSE OF NORTHERN VOICE'S INCREDIBLE PROGRAM AND STAFF, SHE CAUGHT-UP TO HER HEARING PEERS ACADEMICALLY (AND VERBALLY!) JUST IN TIME TO BEGIN KINDERGARTEN AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.

 

HER PATH IN LIFE WAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF THIS AMAZING SCHOOL. THE CHRISTOPHERSON FAMILY WAS SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY WANTED TO RETURN THE FAVOR AND HELP THIS PRIVATELY-FUNDED SCHOOL. TYLER CREATED A CHARITY CAR EVENT CALLED THE KANNONBALL RALLY

(WHICH IS LIKE “THE AMAZING RACE” IN CARS) AND DEVELOPED A CUSTOM FUNDRAISING PLATFORM TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL.

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THESE YEARLY EVENTS WERE SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THEY RAISED OVER $450K FOR NORTHERN VOICES (SINCE 2016). TYLER SPUN-OFF THE KANNONBALL RALLY AND CREATED (3) MORE CHARITY CAR RALLIES AROUND THE COUNTRY; BENEFITTING MULTIPLE CHARITIES LIKE, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN AND VARIOUS ANIMAL SHELTERS, WITH THE SAME PLATFORM.