Our mom, Jennifer Cohen, created the Sydney and Alexandria Cohen Foundation a few years after having us, her twin daughters, Sydney, myself, and my twin sister Alexandria.
It all began in 2003, and we were born ten weeks prematurely. Alexandria only weighed two pounds, and I weighed three pounds. We are lucky to be alive. If it were not for the amazing nurses and doctors that took care of us at Memorial Hospital West and our mom, we would not be here today, seventeen years later. Once mom realized that we were healthy, she decided to give back to show her appreciation to the staff at Memorial Hospital West. She wanted to show her gratitude and do something to help generations of future premature babies.
Our mother used her skills as a publicist to raise money. Incubators saved our lives, so she created a foundation after we were born. The Sydney and Alexandria Cohen Foundation raised money to buy and donate an incubator better than the one we were in. She formed partnerships with several local and national organizations to fundraise, including Dunkin Donuts, Macy’s, Wonder bread, and more. We even created our line of nail polish!
The Oprah Magazine selected our mother in a national search in a promotion called “The Beauty of Giving Back,” sponsored by Cover Girl and featured in the magazine. We raised enough money to donate a G.E. Omni bed incubator. More than 500 babies have been in the “Cohen incubator.” Several organizations have recognized our mother, Hadassah or Broward County, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, 100 Women of South Florida, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County, and the Weizmann Foundation. Our mother started her career after graduating with a degree in communications. She ran her public relations firm and served on several nonprofit boards. In January 2020, she was named the Florida Mother of the Year by American Mothers.
Her love of animals as a child started her work as a philanthropist. In addition to helping animals, she is passionate about helping people. She cares about making a difference in our community. She has been striving to spread awareness about animal welfare and has always taught us to be respectful and kind to other animals. She has always been a voice for the voiceless mother who has led by example in our lives every step of the way. We have followed in her footsteps and worked for Peta in the communications department to serve on the board for Pet Set of the Humane Society Broward County. Also, served on the board for the Wildlife Care Center and fostered more than 50 dogs from Broward County Animal Care and Adoption, all while working full time and raising us as a single mother.
For the last five years, she worked as the Corporate Development Officer at Goodman Jewish Family Services, a social services nonprofit that helps people in need. She has raised over a million dollars during her time there, helping food insufficient people, Holocaust survivors, the elderly, and domestic abuse.
In March 2020, she started working as Chief Development Officer at H.A.N.D.Y Foundation. During this unprecedented time; she raised money for kids who were removed from their homes to neglect and abuse and who had little to no income and food provided for their families. Within the first seven weeks, she has helped raise over half a million dollars. She is a hard worker who doesn’t take no as an answer. In 2013, our mother suddenly became a single mother when her ex-husband abruptly abandoned us. Our mother had to pick herself up and start all over again and take care of us when we were just eleven years old and make sure we were okay. She could have fallen apart, but instead, she remained strong and did whatever she had to to to take care of us and keep us secure and stable. She worked full time, managed to keep us in our private school, and took care of everything.
There is nothing she can’t do. We have seen it, and now that is the mindset we implement in our everyday lives.
Our mother is a strong, powerful woman; she is a loyal friend and daughter and would do anything to help a person or an animal in need. She has taught us compassion and kindness, the importance of being grateful and giving back, appreciating all you have, and living in the moment because life is precious. She is not just an amazing person who excels at everything she does but most importantly, she’s an extraordinary mother who is our hero! We hope you consider taking the time out to appreciate and look into our nominations for “Best Of The Best Features” . We strive to connect moms with resources and local businesses right here in Broward County!
Want to be featured with Us?
Do you know someone, or are you a Local business, Mom, Mompreneur, or Community hero right here in Broward County?
Please submit your selection and fill out the submission form.
