Tim O’Connell
A Quincy, MA, and Falmouth resident, Tim is the founder, visionary, and president of Tommy’s Place Foundation, Inc. Tim founded and established the 501 (c) 3 Tommy's Place non-profit in 2018 in order to bring his decades-old dream of opening a magical vacation home for kids fighting cancer to reality. Tim is a passionate advocate for kids going through the horror of a pediatric cancer diagnosis and has made it his life mission to give these kids and their families a safe and private respite to relax, make memories and most importantly have fun during the most challenging time in their lives.
In addition to being a lifelong entrepreneur, he is also a real estate investor and developer who has been buying, selling, building, and rehabilitating single and multi-family properties in the Boston and Martha's Vineyard markets since 1996. Tim has extensive experience with building new homes, rehabilitating 100+ year old buildings as well as building and restoring homes within historic districts.
Jennifer Caruso
Jennifer is our Tommy's Place Family Coordinator and works directly with the families prior to their stay at Tommy's Place. "Jen" is a tireless advocate for kids fighting cancer and has dedicated countless hours volunteering for a variety of organizations; beginning in elementary school as a girl scout and continuing into the present day as co-founder of her own non-profit - A True Difference Maker.
Throughout her college years at Northeastern University and with her busy schedule as a graduate student in the Physician Assistant program at Temple University, Jennifer continued to find time to give to others, specifically supporting pediatric cancer warriors and their families. Jennifer is now a graduated and certified Physician Assistant and is currently employed in the oncology unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital - Columbia.
The foundation for Jen's giving spirit truly began when her cousin Matthew was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a cancer that claimed his life in 2013 at the age of 19. In his memory, Jen began the Swirls Around the World Foundation to honor Matt (whose nickname was Swirls) and to continue his life. What began as a small gesture of people taking Swirls Strong bracelets on their travels to spread Matt’s story and raise awareness for Ewing Sarcoma, has evolved into a nonprofit foundation raising funds for scholarships and delivering special Swirls packages each month to pediatric and young adult cancer warriors as well as finding ways to remember and honor those warriors who are no longer with us.
What sets Jennifer apart is that she always takes the initiative and her insatiable desire to help others. She is always the first to reach out to a family battling cancer or undergoing a difficult time. Behind the scenes, she is quietly and constantly looking for ways to help families in need.
Some highlights of Jen's giving:
- An honoree of Mass General Hospital for their “100 Everyday Amazing” recognizing individuals, organizations, and foundations work towards a cure and care for cancer patients.
- A member and regional manager of the Love Your Melon campus crew program to engage and network college students and unite these students in the fight against pediatric cancer.
- Established a Children's Miracle Hospital Dance Marathon chapter at Northeastern University where she was ultimately awarded with the 2019 Miracle Network Distinguished Leadership award. A distinction awarded to only 22 college students across the country.
- The Frozen Lemonade Cup benefiting Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Board of Directors
- New England Patriots Difference Maker Award Recipient
Esther Ann Price
Esther Ann helps to administer the back-office operations at Tommy's Place. She manages the
donor and email lists and acknowledgements of donations. Esther Ann graduated Babson College in 1983. She began her career in sales, then moved into leasing, finance and ultimately management in the Automotive Industry.
Volunteering and community involvement has been a large part of Esther Ann’s life,
going back to Junior High. In the past she has raised funds for the Lupus Foundation
and Leukemia Cup Regatta as well as soliciting raffle prizes for several organizations’
events. She has also served as an adult leader for Sea Scouts (a part of the Boy Scouts)
and adopted soldiers through a program run by Soldiers’ Angels of San Antonio, Texas
(May No Soldier Go Unloved). Esther Ann has volunteered at many Falmouth charitities throughout the years but fter an initial phone conversation with Tim in the fall of 2018, she finally met Tim in the Spring of 2020 and knew that Tommy’s Place was the one and only place her heart belonged.
In late 2020 Esther Ann came up with the idea of a “Tommy’s Place Cookbook.” The
cookbook, full of recipes from Falmouth restaurants, and underwritten by the generosity
of the Falmouth Commercial and Retail Business community, was published in
November of 2022. It was a great success! She is now working on a cookbook for the
Centerville location.
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