Our Mission & Story
The Nina Mastro Organization is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising funds in honor of our late friend, Nina Mastro. As a Non-profit Organization, our main goal is to raise money to be directly donated to a person/ family struggling from the financial burdens brought upon by the fight against cancer.
The Nina Mastro Organization was originated in 2019 by a group of longtime friends who lost their best friend to this horrible disease. In May 2015, Nina was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And although this diagnosis was terrifying, she was determined to beat it. Nina’s battle with cancer through the next two years was a tough one, but she always remained positive and kept a smile on her face. Throughout her battle, we stood by her side as this cancer took a toll on her physically, mentally, and of course financially. As her best friends, we knew we had to step in and help. In May 2016, we held our first event, “Band Together with Nina.” The outpouring of love and support for Nina was overwhelming. Our neighborhood came together to donate the location to host the event, food from local restaurants, refreshments from local bars, and over 80 baskets to raffle from local businesses and residents. That year, we raised an outstanding amount of money to help Nina pay her medical bills. The feeling we felt to be able to give her such relief and have one less thing to worry about was indescribable.
Unfortunately, in January 2017, we lost Nina to this horrible disease. Although she is gone, her memory will always live on in our hearts as we promised to continue carrying out her legacy. Thus, the Nina Mastro Organization was formed.
The Screening Process
Each year we will choose a new recipient for our donation. Recipients of charitable donations generated by the Nina Mastro Organization are determined annually by the Board of Directors and may vary from year to year.
As a non-profit, the Board of Directors takes the process of selecting and screening families very seriously. Each recipient can be nominated by another individual via email. When submitting a nominee, please provide all details necessary to give an overall picture of a recipient’s financial need. Unfortunately, not all recipients that apply to us are approved.
The application process for our 2023 receipient is now closed.
Please continue to check our website for the 2024 open application process
The Board of Directors of NMO
The Board of Directors and Committee Members of NMO are all volunteers. Most services are donated (as are most of the products and prizes) and due to generous contributions, NMO is able to keep their costs to the bare minimum. These women are willing to donate their time, talents and connections to this worthy cause. They are grateful for the many generous contributions made to NMO and recognize that collectively we can continue to provide assistance to many families in the years to come. 100% of proceeds earned are distributed annually to recipients.