Palm Beach Gardens nonprofit serving children of America’s fallen service members will be in New York City September 7–12 — available for interviews as it awaits word on a national humanitarian award and seeks donations and partners ahead of Christmas 2026

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL — August 20, 2026 — For Believe With Me (BWM), September 11th is not just a date on the
calendar — it’s the reason many of the families it serves exist as Gold Star families at all. Nearly a quarter-century after the attacks, BWM is launching “A September to Remember,” a month of remembrance and action honoring the men and women who enlisted in the years after 9/11 — and the children they left behind.

“So many of the service members we honor signed up because of September 11th,” said Lyette Reback, Founder &
Executive Director of Believe With Me. “They watched their country get attacked, and they answered. Now their children
are growing up without them. A September to Remember is our way of saying: we haven’t forgotten why they served, and we won’t forget the families they left behind.”

Founded in 2015 after Reback’s pilgrimage to Bedford, VA for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, Believe With Me has grown
from serving 168 children in its first year to delivering more than 15,000 personalized “Santa Sack” Christmas packages to Gold Star children nationwide. This year’s goal is 3,000 children — each package costing $100 and containing gifts chosen from the child’s own wish list, with all shipping costs underwritten by longtime partner FedEx.

A National Spotlight, and a Reason to Be in New York
The story lands at a pivotal moment. Believe With Me has been named a finalist for the NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane
France Humanitarian Award, a national recognition with a $100,000 top prize — all of which would go directly to children
served. Public voting runs through September 6, and the winner will be announced September 8 at the NASCAR Foundation

Honors Gala in New York City.
Reback will be in New York City September 7–12 — spanning the award announcement and the September 11th
anniversary — and is available for interviews, whether live in-studio, on location, or both.
“Whatever happens with that award, September 11th is the real reason we’re telling this story right now,” Reback said.
“These families didn’t choose this life. We just want to make sure no child spends Christmas without knowing their dad or
mom’s service mattered — to us, and to the country.”

A Call for Partners
Believe With Me is an all-volunteer organization, meaning 100% of donated funds go directly to mission — not overhead. As the holiday season approaches, the organization is seeking donations, corporate partnerships, and sponsors to help reach its goal of 3,000 children this Christmas. To donate, partner, or learn more, visit BelieveWithMe.com.

About Believe With Me
Believe With Me is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 47-3192165) serving Gold Star families — the children and
spouses of fallen U.S. service members — since 2015. Its flagship American Gold Star Christmas Project delivers
personalized gift packages to children of the fallen each holiday season, alongside year-round programs including financial assistance, Gold Star Mother’s Day recognition, and the Student Ambassador Program, which trains high school students in hands-on civic leadership by managing real gift budgets for Gold Star children. Believe With Me operates from “The Southern North Pole” warehouse in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.