Our History

Traci and Rich Maynard founded the Erika Kate Foundation (EKF) in late 2006, months after they lost their 4-year-old daughter to complications from a heart transplant. Throughout their daughter’s journey, they experienced the unique challenges brought by a child with severe heart disease. They discovered a significant lack of resources available to help families in the midst of a cardiac crisis. EKF became their grassroots effort to create a sustainable national assistance program for cardiac families. More than 100 families provided the seed money for the nonprofit foundation, raising more than $150,000 in the first year alone. The foundation helped 10 families in 2007, 12 in 2008, 50 in 2009 and more than 80 in 2010. Since its inception, EKF has raised more than $300,000 and helped families at 24 different pediatric heart centers around the country.