The Dave Palmer Memorial Foundation was created in memory of David Palmer, who died suddenly of natural causes in June 1992, at the age of 29. Dave left behind a 2-year-old son, and a wife who was five months pregnant with their daughter. Dave’s sudden and unexpected passing prompted a group of his closest friends to host a golf outing fundraiser just a few months later to help Dave’s family.
After seeing firsthand how the loss of a parent causes not only terrific emotional harm but often leaves children and their surviving parent facing significant financial pressures, we set out to create a Foundation whose sole mission would be to provide financial help to children and families who need assistance following the untimely death of a parent.
The Dave Palmer Memorial Foundation was created in September 1992. Thirty-three years later, the DPMF is still going strong, with the same 11 friends as its Board of Directors. Whether it’s paying tuition, medical or housing expenses, or making sure there are presents under the tree at Christmas. To date DPMF has distributed close to $700,000.00 to help hundreds of children from families
throughout the Delaware Valley. The Foundation has no paid employees and no
administrative expenses, as literally all the work of the Foundation is done by its all-volunteer Board.
Understanding that these families’ financial circumstances are very sensitive and should be kept private, the Foundation does not publicize their grants, scholarships, and awards, nor do they ask anything in return from those they help, other than the promise that they too will help someone else along their way if ever in a position to do so.