Today, on Edison’s birthday, we’re proud to officially launch the

Edison C. Van Auken Memorial Foundation

We created the Foundation as a way to honor Edison’s memory by sharing and supporting the things that meant so much to him.

That means supporting organizations and programs centered around the things Edison loved—movies, television, books, games, and other creative experiences that inspire imagination and bring people together. It also means supporting causes deeply connected to his story, including addiction awareness, prevention, treatment, and recovery, with the desire of helping individuals and families find support, connection, and hope.

We Have Already Gotten Started

Although this is our first official update, the work of the Foundation has already begun.

We’ve made a donation to the Canton Public Library, supporting a place where people of all ages can discover stories, explore new ideas, and connect with their community.

We also donated a computer setup to the Downriver-Detroit Student Film Consortium, a community-based filmmaking program that mentors K-12 students from Detroit and the Downriver area, giving them access to the technology they need to learn filmmaking and tell stories of their own.

These are relatively small beginnings, but they represent exactly what we hope the Foundation can continue to do - find meaningful ways to give people opportunities to create, imagine, learn, and connect.

What’s Next: Gamers Outreach

The first organization we plan to support is Gamers Outreach, a Michigan-based nonprofit that helps bring the joy of video games to children and families in hospitals.

Through its GO Kart program, Gamers Outreach provides portable, medical-grade video game kiosks designed specifically for hospital environments, giving kids a chance to play, connect, and experience a little more joy and normalcy during their hospital stay.

This mission feels especially fitting for Edison. Video games were something he loved, and supporting a program that uses gaming to bring happiness and connection to kids during a difficult time is exactly the kind of work we hope to make possible through the Foundation.

Over the next year, our goal is to use funds raised through the Foundation to grant at least one GO Kart to a local Michigan hospital—with the hope of funding even more. We’ll share updates in future newsletters as we work toward our goal, including where the GO Kart will be headed and the impact your support helps make possible.

Help Us Keep Edison’s Spirit Alive

As we celebrate Edison’s birthday and officially begin this next chapter of the Foundation, we’d be honored to have you be part of it.

If you’d like to support the Foundation, please consider making a donation. 100% of your contribution will support organizations and projects that reflect the mission of the foundation.

Your support doesn’t only have to come in the form of a donation. If you know of an organization, program, or cause you think we should learn about, we’d love to hear from you.

We also hope the Foundation can be a way to share and preserve memories of Edison as we continue to celebrate his life. We’d love for you to share a favorite memory, a funny story, or simply something about him that has stayed with you.

This is just the beginning. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who loved Edison, continues to keep his memory alive, and is helping us turn that love into something meaningful for others.

Happy Birthday, Edison.

With love and gratitude,

Colleen, Chris, Miranda and Parker

Edison’s Favorites

Movies, shows, books, and games were a big part of Edison’s life, so we wanted to share some of his favorites and give everyone another way to remember him, celebrate him, and maybe discover something new along the way.

🎮 GAME — StarCraft
A classic real-time strategy game filled with competition. Edison loved playing with his dad, quickly mastering the game and giving him a run for his money.

📺 WATCH — How I Met Your Mother
Funny, heartfelt, and ultimately a story about friendship and the people we choose to go through life with. It’s easy to see why it resonated so much with Edison.

🎬 MOVIE — Speed Racer
Bright, quick, and completely committed to being itself - just like Edison.

📚 READ — Contest by Matthew Reilly
A fast-paced sci-fi thriller. This was a recommendation from Edison’s Uncle Kelly and quickly became one of his favorites.

Whether these are old favorites or completely new to you, we hope you’ll enjoy discovering a little more of Edison through these things he loved.