By KAREN RAPOLLA
Staff Writer
A Saint John Vianney High School (SJVHS) student lit a candle in an effort to help foster children.
A Light the Candle chapter was formed this year at the suggestion of a sophomore student, Kristen Battista of Morganville.
Light the Candle is a nonprofit movement that provides free, handmade birthday cards to foster children living in group and foster homes in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.
The mission of the Light the Candle organization is to make birthdays feel a bit more special for these children by letting them know people care. Birthdays can be a special and positive experience when they feel people care.
Battista first heard about the Light the Candle organization when she volunteered at Saint Benedict’s summer religious education program in Holmdel, helping as a teacher’s assistant for the two weeks this past July.
She was inspired by the presentation given by Jordan Lacey, founder of Light the Candle. The wonderful impact that the organization made on so many children’s lives touched Battista, and she immediately knew that she wanted to participate.
For most children, birthdays are happy occasions shared with family and friends, but for children in foster care and group homes, birthdays can be a painful reminder of the family they are no longer with. Some foster children may be confused about birthday celebrations because they have never had one before.
“I was inspired that these cards could make a difference in a child’s life,” Battista stated.
Battista received permission from SJVHS’s administration about starting a chapter at the Holmdel-based high school, and a school-wide announcement was sent out. Battista received over 20 emails from students who were interested in joining and participating in the program.
The students volunteering are enthusiastic and filled with compassion for the children and the organization’s mission.
“Not all children are blessed to have a home with a family, and many kids are put into a foster home and are watched over by other people. Some foster kids don’t know what it is like to be loved or have friends, and many of them do not get to celebrate their birthday,” said Lacey.
Helping others to achieve happiness has always felt great to the Morganville teen, and she especially likes to put a smile on a child’s face. No stranger to local community service opportunities, she has participated in projects within her community such as collecting coats for the coat drive and working at the Saint Benedict and Saint Leo the Great fairs.
“SJVHS students truly believe in helping other people, and that is why I believe so many students want to make a difference in other people’s lives,” Battista said.
The chapter meets twice a month and makes birthday cards for many children. The birthday cards that the SJVHS students designed were delivered to foster children in Monmouth County and resident children at the Children Specialized Hospital of New Jersey.
The organization sends birthday cards for over 1,500 children annually. They want the children to know that someone remembered their special day, and a handmade card gives a personal touch that can bring a smile to a child’s face.
In addition to being the president of the SJVHS NJ Chapter of Light the Candle, Battista is involved in many clubs at SJVHS, including the Photography Club, Key Club, Ambassadors Club and Pre-Med Club. She is also involved in the high school’s Catholic Youth Organization.