Meet Nonna:
The Inspiration Behind Our Name and Our Values
Nonna was the true matriarch of our family. A woman whose love, faith, and quiet strength shaped generations. Her legacy reminds us that true success is measured by the lives we touch.
Nonna, on the right wearing the black and white floral dress, serves as a tribute to her enduring passion for gardening.
Nonna, on the right wearing the black and white floral dress, serves as a tribute to her enduring passion for gardening.
Nonna’s Journey: From Senerchia to a Legacy of Love
In 2005, at the age of 78, my Nonna was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. The news was devastating for our entire family — her doctor gave her just three months to live, with no cure available. After intense research, all roads led to Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), where a clinical trial pill regimen offered a glimmer of hope. She began the trial, and three months later, scans showed the tumors were already shrinking.
Nonna went on to become the longest-living survivor of that clinical trial, living another 15 years. The following year, in 2006, our family founded The Nonna’s Garden Foundation in her honor.
Nonna was the matriarch of our family. She grew up in Senerchia, Italy, in the province of Avellino. From a young age, she worked on her family’s farm and never attended school — she couldn’t read or write, but her wisdom ran deep. She poured her heart into her garden — the basil, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant — nurturing it with endless care. She treated her family the same way: with love, patience, and devotion.
Those additional 15 years were a gift. Nonna’s presence was the thread that wove our family together. She lived to meet several more great-grandchildren and could always be found with her flip phone in hand, ready for a call from one of us. To Nonna, family wasn’t defined by blood alone — it was anyone she welcomed into her life. And to her, family was everything. You couldn’t help but love her like your own Nonna.
We were blessed with the extra time and never took a single moment for granted. I will always be grateful for those years — for more homemade chicken cutlets, evening walks for ice cream, and the joy of having her watch me grow up and share in countless memories.
Nonna visited her church every day, donating a few dollars each time. Her faith and generosity inspired everything that followed. The Nonna’s Garden Foundation embodies her spirit — giving selflessly and caring deeply for others. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated over $100 million to cancer research, faith, health, and education, including a $50 million commitment to Memorial Sloan Kettering on what would have been Nonna’s 95th birthday in 2021.
Thank you Nonna. Your love and legacy will forever live on.
Giving Back to Honor the Gifts We’ve Been Given
The Nonna’s Garden Foundation was created to reflect Nonna’s lifelong belief that blessings are meant to be shared. What began as our family’s expression of gratitude has grown into a mission to support cancer research, faith based initiatives, education, and community health. Each gift honors the love, resilience, and generosity that defined Nonna’s life — and continues to touch countless others today.
