JMJ  Memorial Fund

The Jeff Milano-Johnson Memorial Fund supports evidence-based programs and high school scholarships for city youth in Rochester, NY.

The JMJ Memorial Fund was created to celebrate the life of Jeffrey Milano-Johnson, a 14 year old boy who died suddenly in  2007 of a ruptured brain aneurysm, while warming up for a lacrosse game. Jeff lived in Pittsford NY, a suburb of Rochester.

Several minutes after Jeff died, another young man, Shamar Patterson, 16, was killed in a drive by shooting in Rochester. Shamar was a junior at Gates-Chili High School and was visiting his grandmother and some childhood friends the day he died. Similar to Jeff, Shamar was "a very outgoing, energetic class clown."

Jeff and Shamar's families met on the 4th floor of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit the day both of their sons died. Subsequently, the families became friends.   

Jeff and Shamar's lives and deaths were different from one another. Yet both families share similar pain and hurt. They also share common dreams for their children. But the opportunities that existed for Jeff are simply unimaginable to childhood friends of Shamar's. 

Shamar's childhood friends live in Rochester, NY which has the 11th worse child poverty rate in the country. It has a  85% free and reduced lunch rate; a 46% high school graduation rate and the highest teenage pregnancy rate, (84/1,000 15-19 year olds) in the Western World.

The Jeff Milano-Johnson Memorial Fund is dedicated to providing additional opportunities to Rochester youth. The Fund extends Jeff's life, love, joy and kindness well into the future.     

Children Attending ROCE 6,  a summer day camp  supported by the JMJ Memorial Fund.