Jason David Cayne, who
was killed in 9/11 attack
New foundation will offer aid
to families struck by tragedy
Organization honors
Jason David Cayne, who
was killed in 9/11 attack
By larry ramer
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — Township resident Gina Cayne, whose husband was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, is offering assistance to other people who unexpectedly and tragically lost their spouses.
Cayne said that after her husband, Jason, was killed, the community helped her in a variety of ways. Now, she said, she is trying to reciprocate.
"My main goal is to give back to the community what it so graciously gave to me," Cayne said.
Cayne has started the Jason David Cayne Foundation Inc., named after her late husband, that will donate funds to eligible widowers and widows in Monmouth County. The foundation will also recruit volunteers to assist surviving spouses with paying bills and organizing their financial affairs in the wake of the tragedy that strikes their family.
"Nobody who has suffered this type of tragedy needs more stress and worry. Our goal is to remove the unnecessary pain of worrying about these other (financial) matters. If this foundation helps one person feel better and be free of worry, then Jason’s memory will live on because Jason was all about helping others," Cayne said.
Volunteers recruited by the foundation will help surviving spouses who never dealt with financial matters learn how to evaluate their financial status, organize their finances, pay bills and establish a filing system.
Cayne said she learned through a friend whose husband died that assuming the job of handling financial affairs can be difficult for someone who has never dealt with these issues before.
"My friend’s husband took care of all the bills and she didn’t know how to write checks. It was a very difficult situation for her," Cayne said.
Individuals who are determined to be eligible for assistance from the foundation can also receive financial aid of up to $3,000 per month for three months. Payment amounts will be determined based on a family’s expenses, Cayne said.
In order to be eligible, a person applying for help from the foundation must live in Monmouth County and must have lost a spouse six months or less before applying for assistance. They must have at least one child under the age of 18. There are no income-based restrictions. The foundation’s volunteers will help individuals fill out the necessary application.
The Jason David Cayne Foundation held its first event last week at the Ivy League Day Camp, Manalapan. Campers and counselors solicited pledges of donations from people for each lap they swam in the camp pool.
Cayne said she was very grateful to the camp’s owners, Ron and Sandy Leiser, as well as to the camp staff, for their help in organizing the event.
"The camp was unbelievable. It donated its whole facility and the whole staff volunteered," she said.
The swimmers also received praise from Cayne.
"The kids did a fantastic job swimming the laps," she said.
All of the money raised by the foundation will be used to offer financial assistance to widows and widowers, and the foundation has been registered as a nonprofit foundation. It also has a board of trustees, Cayne said.
People who believe they may be eligible for assistance from the Jason David Cayne Foundation, as well as individuals who would like to volunteer for the foundation or make a donation, should call (732) 536-1719 or write to the Jason David Cayne Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 304, Marlboro 07746. More information about the Jason David Cayne Foundation is available at the Internet Web site www.thejasondavidcaynefoundation.org.