Steps4Hope

Jonathan Moules Memorial Foundation

Jonathan Moules was a very loved 22 year old who lost his battle with the disease of addiction on January 7, 2014, a day that changed the lives of his family and friends forever.  Our mission is to honor and celebrate his life by creating awareness, understanding and compassion surrounding the disease of addiction.  The Steps4Hope Foundation is committed to donating to or supporting and partnering with local and national organizations, such as the Adolescent Awareness Foundation, Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education, The Herren Project and Shatterproof, as we work together to raise awareness and end the stigma associated with the disease of addiction. We are dedicated to making a difference and bringing about change by empowering students and communities with access to quality educational programs, giving financial support and hope to those facing this illness and care to those who have lost a loved one to its ravages. It is our sincere hope that no other family will have to endure the tragic loss of a loved one.

The Jonathan Moules Memorial Steps4hope Foundation is made possible by generous individual donations, as well our annual Steps4hope 5k run/walk.

Steps 4 Hope 5k Run and 1 mile Walk | 2024

We are bringing this inspirational race back, once again, to Great Valley High School! Please join us on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 9:00 am for the 8th annual Steps4Hope 5k run and 1 mile walk.  This timed 5k race, held in loving memory of Jonathan Moules, is dedicated to promoting awareness and prevention of Substance Use Disorders. Proceeds from the race will help us continue to assist essential local programs, awareness and educational events, grief support and provide much needed resources for those in early recovery.  Please view our webpage at www.steps4hope.org for more information about our non-profit foundation.

Race description: This year our race course begins at the Great Valley High School Stadium track and winds through the beautiful school district grounds, finishing back at the high school stadium. Registration opens at 8:00 am. The timed 5k race and 1 mile walk will begin at 9:00 am.

Online registration: $20 until 5/31; $25 until 7/31; $30 until 10/8.  Day of registration: $35. T-shirt guaranteed with pre-registration until 9/20/2024.

Jonathan’s Story

Jonathan was born in Pittsburgh, Pa, along with his twin brother, Michael, on July 30, 1991. It was a long awaited and joyous day. From the very beginning, Jonathan had a spirit that was full of life and rearing to go. Along with his brother, we moved around the country, finally putting down roots in Malvern Pa, a suburb of Philadelphia. It was there that Jonathan grew up a fun loving, athletic boy. He and Michael loved playing together, with friends, and enjoyed playing all kinds sports and activities, including, snowboarding, football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse. When the twins were 10 years old, we were finally blessed with another son, Matthew. Together, our family couldn’t have been happier.

As parents, we were always involved in school activities and sporting events. Dad was a volunteer coach and mom was always the team and homeroom mom. Over the years, the boys developed a wonderful, solid group of friends and they all spent countless hours at our home. We grew close to the boy’s friends and their families. We enjoyed taking part in the many activities and sporting events that occurred throughout middle and high school. In other words, we were a very normal, involved and loving family. Drug addiction could never happen to one of our children…….

We couldn’t have been more mistaken. Somewhere along the path from childhood to young adult, Jonathan’s life took a wrong turn, gradually and unnoticed for awhile. Through high school and into college, he not only had a number of surgeries that prescribed pain medications, but he experimented with drugs, too. It is hard to say where one ends and the other begins. All that matters is by his sophomore year of college, he was addicted to opiates. Eventually, the prescription pills got to be too expensive and he switched to using heroin, a typical progression of the disease. We had no idea what the disease of addiction meant but we knew we had a big problem. He tried medical management, rehabilitation, transitional living, counseling, AA meetings and found a wonderful sponsor. Jonathan was committed to getting his life back. He didn’t want to be addicted. He worked two jobs and planned to return to school next semester. Unfortunately, he had a disease that stole his ability to choose to stop using the drugs. As we learned, addiction is a psychological and physical dependence on a substance that is beyond voluntary control. Addiction creates actual physical changes in the nerve cells of the brain and therefore, no longer functions the same the way the normal brain functions. There are powerful cravings and severe physical distress without the substance.

The sad and tragic end to Jonathan’s story needs to serve as a lesson to each and every one of us to never assume this couldn’t happen to your child. He was not a bad kid with a moral failing. He was an amazing young man with all the potential in the world, but sadly suffered with a horrible disease. Please join us, along with the loving memory of Jonathan, as we battle this disease and create a better understanding of drug and alcohol addiction.

For more information about this foundation, please visit steps4hope.org.

 

 

 

Links & Resources

Past Events

Fund Administrators

  • Pamela Moules

Donations

CHARITYSMITH accepts donations in a variety of ways which include online, by mail, and phone.

Online:

Click the ‘Donate to Fund’ button below to donate now.

By Mail:
The Jonathan Moules Memorial Steps4Hope Foundation
CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation
13100 Filly Lane
Truckee, CA 96161

By Phone:
Call the CHARITYSMITH office at
866.558.2064 to donate via credit card
over the phone.

The above Memorial Fund is established as a division of CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation (EIN 87-0636433). All donations are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax law. Receipts for tax purposes are sent via US Mail within two weeks of donation. Please consider asking if your employer participates in a gift-matching program. If so, your donation may be matched by your employer.

For questions regarding your donation or this memorial fund please contact CHARITYSMITH.

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