Bake sale in honor of Jamison Novello raises $15,200
For the sixth consecutive year, members of the Rockville Centre community gathered on Sept. 14 to support the bake sale fundraiser in memory of Jamison Novello, a former South Side High School sophomore who died by suicide in 2019.
Her mother, Kimberly McGuigan, told the Herald the bake sale was inspired by Jamison’s love of sweets. The event, which began in 2019 to celebrate Jamison’s 16th birthday, raises money for a scholarship fund created in her honor at the Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan, where she discovered her passion for dance. The goal is to help aspiring dancers pursue their dreams and refine their skills under the guidance of the center’s world-renowned choreographers.
Proceeds have also been donated to the Long Island Crisis Center and, more recently, to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a nonprofit dedicated to mental health research, improving interventions, suicide prevention training, and advocacy for life-changing policies.
McGuigan, who organizes the annual event outside her home on Burtis Avenue in Rockville Centre, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming baked goods donations she received just a day prior.
This year’s bake sale marked what would have been a milestone — Jamison’s 21st birthday. Several signs displayed messages of support, featuring photos of Jamison from her many dance performances. One sign read, “Keep dancing, Jamagirl.”
McGuigan said the signs held special significance, reminding her of what Jamison would have said had she been there.
“I felt that she was there, just sprinkling magic on that day,” McGuigan said. “It felt like she was saying, ‘You’re doing a good thing, Mom.’”
This year’s event raised more than $14,700, with additional donations bringing the total to $15,200. The funds will be split between the scholarship fund and AFSP. Through the community’s support, McGuigan has donated more than $100,000 to the scholarship fund and more than $40,000 to AFSP.
More than 14 friends and family members helped organize this year’s event, setting up 12 booths, including a lemonade stand run by McGuigan’s daughter, Carter.
“It was beautiful. It is always beautiful,” McGuigan said. “It was so crowded, and there was so much love and so many different signs and different people.”
This year, with the help of the local law firm Falcon, Rappaport and Berkman, McGuigan launched the Still Sparkling Foundation as an official nonprofit. The foundation is dedicated to keeping Jamison’s legacy alive through mental health awareness and advocacy.
In addition to the bake sale, McGuigan organizes a Casino Night every March to support mental health initiatives through the Still Sparkling Foundation.
For more information on the foundation and its initiatives, visit JamisonsDream.com.
