For more than 15 years, Team IMPACT has been driven by the simple but powerful belief that every child facing serious illness or disability deserves the strength, joy, and belonging that come from being part of a team. From the earliest days in New England to today’s nation-wide community, that mission has been shaped and sustained by many committed leaders—including founding board member Dan Kraft.
Dan’s perspective on what it means to be part of a team has helped anchor the organization’s identity from the beginning. From the moment Team IMPACT became an idea to the very first match and the 4,500+ matches since, Dan has been with Team IMPACT for every step of the journey.
A collegiate lacrosse player himself, Dan understands firsthand the unwavering support, collaboration, and identity that come with being part of a team. For Dan, that idea of team has always been important. “To me, a team is a group of people who commit to something bigger than themselves,” he said. “They share a common goal, support each other through challenges, celebrate success together and create a sense of belonging. It’s a community that provides encouragement during difficult times and relationships that last beyond the game.”
That definition has been more than a sentiment—it has been a guiding principle behind how Team IMPACT connects children with college athletic teams across the country. It reflects the lived experience of thousands of matches: kids, families, and student-athletes forming relationships that extend far beyond the field of play.
Over the past 15 years, Dan has consistently emphasized the ripple effect of those relationships. Dan hopes everyone who experiences Team IMPACT experiences the program as more than a match but a life-changing and life-long network of support. “Team IMPACT is truly making a positive difference in people’s lives,” he said, calling the program a “win-win-win scenario” for all involved. “The kids who are matched receive unwavering support, strength and camaraderie from their college teammates as they face medical challenges that pull them out of school and away from friends. The families benefit from seeing their loved one be able to just be a kid for a change, away from diagnoses and doctors, and they gain their own support through the relationships that are formed through the match. And the student athletes are taught lessons about real courage, resiliency, and a life perspective that cannot be learned in a classroom.”
This win-win-win has become one of the clearest expressions of the connection that strengthens everyone it reaches. Reflecting on that growth, Dan credits the collective effort that goes into everything Team IMPACT does and the community that has grown from being united in support of a common mission for the past 15 years. “It’s truly unbelievable to see how far the organization has come in 15 years,” Dan said. “From the first few matches in New England to reaching almost 5,000 matches across all 50 states at 500 colleges and universities is humbling and something that we don’t take for granted. We would not have been able to achieve this growth without the support we have received from our amazing TI staff, dedicated board of directors, and loyal supporters across the country.”
That sense of humility and gratitude has remained central to Team IMPACT’s journey. While the numbers reflect scale, the heart of the work remains deeply personal—not only for the staff and program participants but for the supporters who first brought Team IMPACT to life.
For Dan, the journey that brought Team IMPACT to where it is now is just as important as the future of the organization, each moment guided by the same goal: to make more matches. “I look forward to continued growth across the country with the goal of finding and matching every eligible kid with a team,” Dan said.
As we reflect on the broader impact of the past decade and a half, we remember some of the things that matter most: the lives changed, the community built along the way, and the impact that comes when we’re all united behind the same mission. “As I reflect back on 15 years of Team IMPACT, it makes me proud to see the to see real, tangible differences that the organization has had in improving so many lives,” Dan said. “To be able to do all of this alongside close friends who share a vision and passion for our mission has made the journey that much more meaningful. We are proud of what we have achieved, but we still have ambitious goals for the future, and we won’t stop working until every child with a serious illness or disability can experience the power and the magic of Team IMPACT.”
