Purple Pansies today announced it received a $40,000 grant from Kohl’s to help make a difference in the lives of individuals and families fighting pancreatic cancer through humanitarian assistance and research funding.


Purple Pansies raises money to help metro Atlanta families with financial grants directly. These grants help families to pay their medical bills and other associated costs related to pancreatic cancer. In addition, they provide funding for research and clinical trials, and scholarships for students impacted by pancreatic cancer. The scholarship program, which launched in 2022, has awarded 17 scholarships to hardworking and needy students who have been affected by pancreatic cancer to complete their studies.

Maria Fundora, founder of Purple Pansies, began her nonprofit efforts in 2008 following her mother’s death from pancreatic cancer. Fundora believes in a practical, yet personal approach to handle needs within the community as well as taking care of those undergoing treatment and their loved ones. To date, Purple Pansies has raised more than $4 million in funding for pancreatic cancer research and aid.

“We are honored to have the support of Kohl’s in providing critical grants to our community and funding for research,” said Purple Pansies Founder Maria Fundora. “We hope that with this grant we can help ease the burden from families in metro Atlanta so they can focus on helping their families heal.”

Fundora turned her devastation into determination to make a difference and immediately began holding events at her restaurant, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant, to raise funds. But as her efforts increased, so did her frustration, as she still saw too many people in the community suffering. Reaching out for a bigger vision, she researched until she found a nonprofit medical research institute that works on groundbreaking strategies targeting pancreatic cancer.

Kohl’s grant to Purple Pansies was made through Kohl’s A Community with Heart Program. In the spirit of giving with all of its heart this holiday season, Kohl’s, through its A Community with Heart Program, will donate $8 million in grants to selected nonprofit organizations across the country, demonstrating the company’s ongoing commitment to family health and wellness. Kohl’s store teams and leaders across the country identified and nominated nonprofit recipients from 49 states that are near and dear to their hearts. The full list of selected grant recipients is available on Corporate.Kohls.com.

The donations are made possible through Kohl’s philanthropic merchandise program, Kohl’s Cares®, which sells children’s books and toys and donates 100 percent of the net profit to charitable organizations across the country that improve the health and wellness of families. To learn more about how Kohl’s gives back to communities nationwide, visit Corporate.Kohls.com.

Additional information can be found at https://purplepansies.org/