Jolly the Elf, a delightful and fun Christmas story now available as a children’s book, has teamed up with NFCA to help raise awareness of celiac disease! Through the Jolly the Elf charitable partner program, author Jo Shepherd Ripley will donate a percentage of book sales to the non-profit organization in an effort to support its mission and programming.

For every book or Jolly product sold through the Jolly Website (www.jollytheelf.com) that indicates “celiac” or “NFCA” in the “Where did you hear about us” box (on the Buy Now Page), part of your purchase will be contributed to the NFCA.

“We are thrilled to partner with such a wonderful organization that is the NFCA,”said Jo Shepherd Ripley. “It is so important to help people suffering from celiac understand what they may do to help themselves. Anything that Jolly can do to assist in those efforts is an honor and a privilege for us.”

Jolly the Elf, has a special connection to celiac disease as one of its contributing illustrators, Philadelphia area high school student Jake Hunter, was diagnosed with the disease in 2006.

“My symptoms are gone. Now I can concentrate on what I love to do most – draw,”Jake says of his life since receiving a diagnosis and adopting a gluten-free diet.

Jolly the Elf is a story for all ages. If you know the reindeer that saved Santa, meet the elf that saved him. Jolly knew Santa was in trouble. He did not have enough time to keep track of all of the good boys and girls. Santa needed help from a friend. He needed Jolly. Jolly and his friends help Santa see how good and kind children are being by going to their homes and reporting all the wonderful things they do back to Santa. Jolly and his friends are part of what every child needs – somebody to believe in them. For anyone who has children or is a child at heart, this story gets to the quick of what it means to be a person, a child – reach for the stars and maybe you will catch one.

Jo first read Jolly the Elf to a friend in Philadelphia in 1963, but since then has spent much of her life spreading the tradition to everyone she and her 11 children meet (who then spread it to their friends and family). As each holiday season comes and goes, more and more families fall in love with Jolly too. Since that day in 1963 when Jolly came to life, many stories have been written based on him, but none ring as true as the story of Jolly himself.

More about Jolly the Elf contributor, Jake Hunter

At 14 years old, I weighed 74 pounds. I often wondered why I was so short and weighed so little when I ate so much. I also really wanted to know when I would stop feeling so lousy. My stomach pains and nausea were never ending. My doctor finally referred me to a gastroenterologist who diagnosed me with celiac disease.

At first it was difficult, but I chose to take control of my disease and remove all gluten from my diet. I have even started cooking a lot of my own food. Now I love to cook!

Sometimes it is hard since most teenagers eat mainly of pizza and cheeseburgers, but my grandmom makes most of my rolls, pizza and stromboli so I don’t feel like I’m missing out. Today, I am 17 years old and weigh over 100 pounds.

I started sketching at the age of 3. When most kids were coloring in coloring books, I was busy drawing on every piece of blank paper I could find. My friends still have pictures of Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers that I drew for them when I was about 6 years old. I feel great about having some of my artwork in Jo Shepherd Ripley’s book Jolly the Elf.It has given me an opportunity that I did not expect.