About Building on Love
When a child faces a serious medical diagnosis, a family’s focus should be on care—not on how to pay the next bill.
Building on Love is a Cohoes-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides temporary financial assistance to local families caring for a critically ill child. We help cover essential living expenses, giving families breathing room during some of the most difficult days of their lives.
Our Vision
A world where financial stability is attainable while facing a life-threatening medical diagnosis.
Our Mission
Building on Love helps families in our community facing a life-altering medical condition by providing a financial bridge for essential living expenses. We also work with local organizations and partner Ronald McDonald House chapters to reach families who need support.
How We Help
A serious diagnosis can bring unexpected expenses, time away from work, and difficult financial decisions. We help families manage essential non-medical bills so they can focus on their child’s care.
Each grant is tailored to the family’s circumstances and follows our grant-making policies. Our goal is to help early—before a temporary hardship becomes a lasting financial crisis.
We provide assistance through two core programs:
Family Grant Program: Direct financial support for eligible families in New York’s Capital Region.
Ronald McDonald House Grant Program: Assistance for families served by our partner Ronald McDonald House Charities chapters.
Our Story
Building on Love was founded in 2009 by Jerry and Diane Abdelnour, owners of J&J Service in Cohoes—a community we are proud to call home.
Our work began by supporting families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Albany. When a child’s medical emergency created a financial burden, we helped pay a pressing bill or cover an essential expense. Over time, that work grew to include additional Ronald McDonald House partners.
In 2019, our board expanded our mission to provide direct financial support to individuals and families in the Greater Capital Region facing a life-altering medical condition.
Our purpose remains rooted in a simple idea: helping a family keep up with essential expenses can give them the stability and space they need to care for a loved one and plan for the days ahead.