The Agape Fund Donate

About us

Family founded. Inspired by Thomas.

The Byrne family started The Agape Fund in 2021. Today, more than 400 individual and corporate partners help us fund medical research and care for people with Down syndrome and related neurological conditions.

501(c)(3) public charity · Manhattan Beach, California

Thomas Byrne smiling, wearing glasses and a red checked shirt
Thomas laughing with a speaker who holds a microphone at an Agape Fund dinner
Thomas Byrne smiling, wearing glasses and a red checked shirt

Our story

Meet Thomas

Thomas Byrne is our son, our brother, and a friend to many. Ask anyone who knows him, and they will tell you about his kindness, his joy, and his genuine affection for others.

He has a particular love for animals, and a natural way of making people feel appreciated, often with something as simple as a hug. Thomas makes friends wherever he goes. He has found them at American Martyrs School, at Cathedral Catholic High School, at Mychal’s Learning Place, through the Friendship Foundation, and all across our Manhattan Beach community.

Thomas has also faced real medical challenges, and he has met every one of them with strength and courage. One friend describes him as “a steadfast figure of strength, friendship, and resilience.” We couldn’t agree more.

He is the reason we do this work, and the spirit behind everything we fund.

A speaker addressing a backyard full of supporters at an Agape Fund dinner

Our purpose

Why we started

Through Thomas, we have seen firsthand what works for neurodivergent people and their families, and what doesn’t.

We have seen it in schools and therapy rooms, in social programs and hospitals, and in the insurance and government systems families depend on. Too often, care is fragmented. Conditions like Down syndrome receive a small share of research funding and clinical expertise, so families are left searching for answers to questions that never seem to stop. And too often, we have felt unable to protect and improve the lives of the people we love most.

So in 2021, our family started The Agape Fund. We wanted to build more of what has lifted Thomas up: doctors and researchers devoted to these conditions, care that reaches families beyond the hospital, and communities where everyone belongs.

Our work is for people whose voices are often quiet but deserve to be heard, supported, and lifted up. It is our way of passing on the love Thomas has shown us.

Leadership

Board of Directors

Our board guides the fund’s mission, values, and long-term vision. Members serve as fiduciaries, setting strategy and providing oversight.

  • PresidentJohn ByrneBoard Member
  • Kerry BurnightBoard Member
  • Ryan ParksBoard Member
  • Andrew ByrneBoard Member
  • Mollie BaumerBoard Member
  • Margaret ByrneBoard Member
  • Bryce TournatBoard Member

The CARE framework

How we give

Every grant we make fits one of four pillars. Together, they spell CARE. Clinical and Research are our primary focus.

  1. Primary

    Clinical

    Growing the specialists families need

    What we fund

    • Clinical fellowships
    • Residencies
    • Training grants and internships
    • Clinical nursing capacity

    In practice

    The first U.S. Down syndrome neurology fellowship, at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (2026).

  2. Access to Care

    Holistic healing beyond the hospital walls

    What we fund

    • Surf and ocean therapy
    • Access to specialists and clinical trials
    • Adaptive sport
    • Helping families access therapy

    In practice

    Designing a cohort-based ocean therapy program.

  3. Primary

    Research

    Funding science early, when it matters most

    What we fund

    • Clinical trials
    • Pilot studies
    • Research equipment
    • Systematic reviews

    In practice

    Seed funding behind the first clinical trial in DSRD, at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

  4. Education

    Opportunities that prepare students for life

    What we fund

    • Inclusive school programs
    • Peer mentorship
    • Work and training programs
    • Family education

    In practice

    Options Program seed funding at Loyola High School (2025).