About The Foundation
Our Story
Born from a father’s faith, built on a promise to show up.
In Bobby’s Words
“The day everything changed”
I’m Bobby — a proud Puerto Rican born and raised in North Newark, New Jersey. A man of deep Catholic faith, a husband, and the father of the two most incredible twin girls you’ll ever meet.
But there was a time when I didn’t know if I’d ever get to say that.
When my daughters were born prematurely, our world was turned upside down in an instant. They were rushed to the NICU — tiny, fragile, fighting for every breath. The doctors were honest with us: it was going to be touch and go. Every single day.
For over a month, my wife and I lived in that NICU. The beeping monitors became our soundtrack. The sterile hallways became our second home. And every morning, I’d walk through those doors not knowing what the day would bring — but knowing one thing for certain: I was going to show up.
The NICU Journey
I held their tiny hands through the incubator holes. I prayed over them — sometimes silently, sometimes out loud. I talked to them, sang to them, told them about the life we were going to have together. I refused to let fear win.
There were nights I didn’t sleep. There were moments I broke down in the hospital hallway. But I kept coming back. Every single day. Because that’s what a father does — he shows up.
My faith carried me through those darkest hours. I leaned on God when I had nothing left. And slowly, miraculously, my girls got stronger. They fought. They grew. And the day we finally brought them home — I knew that experience had changed me forever.
Today, my twin daughters are thriving. They are my greatest blessing, my purpose, and the reason The Show Up Foundation exists. Because I learned firsthand that the most powerful thing you can do for a child is simply be there.
Where It All Began
Real moments. Real fear. Real prayers. The love that started it all.
The NICU nurses drew these on the whiteboard the day I walked in — Charlie and JoJo as superheroes. I broke down. And then I got back up.
Years after that nurse drew them as superheroes on the whiteboard — Charlie and JoJo showed up as exactly that. Supergirl and Wonder Woman. 🙏
A Father’s Memory
The Smallest Hands Left the Biggest Mark
Every image in this section is part of the real story behind The Show Up Foundation — a father, two daughters, and the faith that carried our family through the NICU one day at a time. These moments remind me why presence matters. They also remind me that some of the most powerful love a child will ever feel comes from simply knowing someone keeps showing up.
What started in the quiet of a hospital room — between prayers whispered over incubators and nurses who drew superheroes on whiteboards — became something bigger than we ever imagined. Not because we had a plan. But because we refused to stop showing up. And God refused to stop showing out. Not just for our family, but for every family still fighting to hold on. You don’t have to have the answers. You just have to show up. That lesson became this foundation.
A Father’s Memory
The Smallest Hands Left the Biggest Mark
Every image in this section is part of the real story behind The Show Up Foundation — a father, two daughters, and the faith that carried our family through the NICU one day at a time. These moments remind me why presence matters. They also remind me that some of the most powerful love a child will ever feel comes from simply knowing someone keeps showing up.
Charlie & JoJo — NICU, 2017
Charlie & JoJo — NICU, 2017
Charlie & JoJo — NICU, 2017
Charlie & JoJo — NICU, 2017
Charlie & JoJo — NICU, 2017
What started in the quiet of a hospital room — between prayers whispered over incubators and nurses who drew superheroes on whiteboards — became something bigger than we ever imagined. Not because we had a plan. But because we refused to stop showing up. And God refused to stop showing out. Not just for our family, but for every family still fighting to hold on. You don’t have to have the answers. You just have to show up. That lesson became this foundation.
Hold On — This Is Where It Leads
From 1 lb. fighters to world-changers.
Easter joy — holding on to what matters.
2019 — First adventures together
2019 — Brave from the start.
2021 — Dad showing up, every single day
2022 — Off to conquer the world
2023 — In full bloom. 🌷
2024 — Making waves, making memories.
2025 — Best friends forever. 👯♀️
The Daddy Daughter Dance — showing up in style. 💛
March 2025 — First Holy Communion. The faith that carried us through.
Where Are They Now?
Living Their Best Life
This is what showing up looks like.
“From the NICU to Costa Rica… Can you believe it?”
“Fearless. The girl who once fit in the palm of your hand.”
“Born at 1 lb 5 oz. Now flying through the jungle.”
“Balance, strength, and sisterhood.”
“From NICU incubators to holding snakes on a jungle safari.”
“Sisters. Best friends. Miracles.”
“These girls never stop moving — and never stop amazing us.”
“Written in the sand, but forever in our hearts.”
The Mission
Why The Show Up Foundation?
After our NICU experience, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the other parents going through the same thing — alone, scared, without support. And then I thought about the children who have no one. The orphans. The foster kids. The children sitting in a system waiting for someone — anyone — to show up for them.
That’s why I created The Show Up Foundation. It’s not just about parenting. It’s about presence. It’s about answering the call that every child puts out into the universe: “Will someone show up for me?”
We equip caregivers with the tools they need. We support children who have been forgotten. And we build a movement of people who believe that showing up is the most powerful act of love there is.
What We Stand For
Our Five Pillars
Faith
Trusting God’s plan even when the path is uncertain. Faith is our foundation.
Hope
Believing in brighter tomorrows for every child and every family we serve.
Presence
The simple, powerful act of being there. Showing up is everything.
Preparation
Equipping caregivers with knowledge, tools, and resources for their journey.
Legacy
Building a lasting impact that transforms lives for generations to come.