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Our Story

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Lindsay and Tom Stetson are the founders of this 501c3 Non-Profit Organization and know what it’s like to need help.

Lindsay and Tom Stetson are the founders of this 501c3 Non-Profit Organization and know what it’s like to need help. They have been through many trials over the last few years where it seemed like the hits wouldn’t stop coming – from their chiropractic business totally flooding and losing all contents in it, to experiencing serious health issues with their own son, and Lindsay battling metastatic cervical cancer for 3 years.

After experiencing some concerning symptoms, Lindsay’s fight with cancer began in April of 2017 with 6 rounds of weekly chemotherapy, 32 external radiation treatments, and 5 internal radiations. Several months later, the disease spread to Lindsay’s abdominal lymph nodes requiring 32 additional radiation treatments. While in the course of these treatments, it was discovered that cancer had filled Lindsay’s lungs, leading to another 6 rounds of chemotherapy. Despite a brief period filled with positive news, it was necessary for Lindsay to continue with 4 more rounds of chemotherapy on her lungs. With the news that cancer had spread to Lindsay’s brain and spine, she bravely completed 5 more radiation treatments and one last chemotherapy before she was hospitalized for various medical conditions and symptoms. On March 1, 2020, Lindsay gained her angel wings.

After receiving so many blessings (indescribable, really!) from others during and after Lindsay’s courageous battle, God placed a mission on her and Tom’s hearts to somehow pay it forward. One month before Lindsay passed, the spreadJOY mission was born to help those who need, just as they have needed it. Lindsay is spreading JOY from heaven while her family and friends continue her journey to JOY in the community. Become a part of Our Story and let’s spreadJOY y’all!

Lindsay Stetson

Lindsay was a former elementary school teacher, turned chiropractic assistant, turned stay-at-home mom. In 2017, Lindsay was diagnosed with cervical cancer and began her the fight for her life. Using God’s strength and will, she turned the time she had left into spreading JOY to others with this non-profit. Lindsay passed away March 1, 2020, a few weeks after founding this great mission of spreading JOY.

Thomas Stetson

Tom Stetson is a doctor, owns a few businesses, wellness speaker, Lindsay’s favorite caretaker, and all-around big-hearted guy. He has not only impacted and helped many patients’ lives with his clinics, but he has also devoted himself to keeping his family moving while dealing with the many challenges that came with the severe illness and passing of his loving wife. He enjoys golfing, woodworking, and going on adventures with his son Connor. He is looking forward to using his strengths and convictions to help our mission spread JOY.

Joanna Connor

Joanna has experience owning two businesses, management positions, and now she is a stay-at-home mom to her 3 children. She is an incredible asset to the mission and handles many of the duties and responsibilities required to spreadJOY to others. She enjoys and excels at counseling, helping others, and being an advocate for her community.

Siobhan McGee

Siobhan McGee is Lindsay’s college roommate and friend of almost twenty years. She works in business development and account management for a leading capital equipment finance company. Outside of work, she is a wife (Bob), Mom (son Emmett and new baby arriving in the fall of 2020), spin instructor, and joy advocate.

Kate Connor

Kate Connor is Lindsay’s younger sister and lifelong best friend.  She is a Social Worker who has spent the last several years meeting the unique needs of individuals and families she serves.  She lives in Scranton, Pa with her daughter, Maliya, and is so joyful to be honoring Lindsay’s legacy through this non-profit.

Megan Alpert

Megan Alpert has been a devoted friend to Lindsay since they were sorority sisters at Kappa Kappa Gamma at University of Pittsburgh, where she was her “Big-Big Sister.”

As a fellow native of Scranton, their friendship thrived over twenty years. Megan has been a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch for over fifteen years. She is married to her high school sweetheart Ryan and is the proud mother of three spirited children, Jack, Ben, and Audrey, and an adorable puppy, Francine.

Megan is a passionate philanthropist in Northeastern Pennsylvania and is honored to be a Joy advocate. 

Atty. Jason A. Shrive

Atty. Jason A. Shrive is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Spread Joy. He is the founder and Managing Attorney of SHRIVE LAW, LLC. SHRIVE LAW, LLC is a law firm, located in the City of Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, that provides legal services all across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Atty. Shrive focuses his practice in the areas of Criminal Defense and Family Law, however he also practices in the areas of Business/Franchise Law, Real Estate Law, Wills, Trusts, and Estates, and Municipal Law/Government Relations.

Shrive grew up with Spread Joy’s founder, Lindsay Connor Stetson, and her family, in Scranton, PA, and is eager to work with this organization to Spread Joy to all those who are in need.

Atty. Shrive resides in Scranton, PA, with his wife the former Jennifer Lynch, and their son, Duffy.

Our Mission

We want to spreadJOY!

People go through tough times — be it a serious illness, a house fire, a major accident, or some other unexpected situation that totally takes their lives by storm.

Our goal with spreadJOY is to fulfill needs for and give a pick-me-up to people going through a difficult time in their life. This might mean delivering a hot meal or a house cleaning service to someone in need, it might mean giving someone an Uber gift card to use for rides to doctor appointments, or it might mean being able to provide someone with an amazing memory-making experience!

There is plenty of money in the charity world donated to disease research and other noble causes, but the spreadJOY mission is to directly affect and give back to the person going through the battle. We will be giving directly to people and families in order to make an immediate and significant impact of JOY in their lives.

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