Embracing a New Way to Say Goodbye
GiveWillow has the distinction of being the first-ever platform of its kind – often described as “a wedding registry, but for funerals.”
The concept is simple but groundbreaking: a bereaved family can create a personalized Funeral Registry listing the specific needs related to honoring their loved one.
Friends and family can then contribute to those needs directly, whether it’s helping fund a casket or headstone, covering travel costs for relatives to attend the service, or even pitching in for a memorial bench or charity contribution in the loved one’s honor.This registry model transforms the act of giving.
It removes the discomfort of asking for money by framing support as a gift in memory of the deceased, rather than a plea for charity. Contributors aren’t just donating into a void; they’re choosing meaningful, tangible ways to help – and in doing so, they feel more connected to the memorial. Meanwhile, the family feels the love and support of their community in a practical form, without the awkwardness or guilt that can come with direct fundraising. It’s a win-win scenario that traditional crowdfunding platforms simply don’t offer.
Founders United by Purpose and Innovation
As Janet began developing the idea for GiveWillow, she crossed paths with Ryan Oliveira, who would soon become her co-founder and partner in this journey.
The two met by chance when Janet rented out a room in her Philadelphia home to Ryan, and they quickly discovered a shared passion for building technology that makes a positive impact. Janet was envisioning a tech solution to help grieving families, while Ryan was working on a startup to connect local businesses with their communities – different projects, but driven by a common belief in technology’s power for good. They became each other’s sounding boards, brainstorming over casual meetups and even attending startup events together, all the while dreaming about creating something meaningful.
Over the next few years, life took them on different paths – new cities, marriages, even children – but Janet and Ryan stayed in close touch and never lost sight of their drive to innovate.
When the vision for GiveWillow started to take shape, Ryan was always there offering advice and encouragement.It soon became clear that, together, they could bring GiveWillow to life in the way it truly needed to be.
Combining Janet’s firsthand insight into the challenges of loss with Ryan’s tech acumen and entrepreneurial spirit, the GiveWillow team united around a single purpose: to use innovation to help families in mourning. With heart and technical know-how, they set out to build a platform that would modernize compassionate giving for the 21st century.
In short, Janet and Ryan’s vision has created an entirely new way to say farewell: one focused on giving love and support through action, not just condolences.
