By Amy Batista, Special Writer
CRANBURY – The Cranbury School will be raising money Friday to assist individuals who need help paying their medical bills.
“Hats for Hope” is a program that Ryan Lehman, a former eighth-grade student, developed to support the charity Raising Hope for Others,” said teacher Laura Burke in an email Thursday.
She said that all students have the opportunity to donate $1 to the charity and wear a hat to school on Nov. 20. The fundraiser is typically held the last Friday of the month.
“Any amount of money that you can give will go a long way to help others in need,” said Ms. Burke, who teaches seventh and eighth grade English and math. “Small acts of kindness can do great things.”
The money collected on “Hats for Hope” days goes to Raising Hope for Others to assist individuals with their medical bills, she said.
“I am a trustee of the charity and created Raising Hope for Others as a way to keep my cousin Kathleen’s giving spirit alive,” said Ms. Burke, adding that the organization was formed seven years ago.
Ms. Burke’s cousin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and she ran a fundraiser to assist with the mounting medical bills.
“As a result, she was able to afford treatments that allowed her to spend more quality time with her family and friends,” she said. “After she died, I wanted to continue to help other people facing similar problems and that is how Raising Hope for Others was created.”
Health care in the U.S. has received a lot of attention over the past several years. One of the main questions is: What happens if someone doesn’t have medical insurance or can’t pay the medical bills because they are too high?
Ms. Burke said that in the past seven years, Raising Hope for Others has helped many people pay medical bills, transportation, food, clothing, and other basic needs when they needed it most.
She said the 2015 recipient for Raising Hope for Others is Victoria Breuer, a 21-year-old battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is currently in remission. She was diagnosed when she was 20.
For Ms. Burke, the highlight is that the program was inspired by a student and continues due to others wanting to help.
“My favorite part of being a trustee of Raising Hope for Others is seeing the relief and appreciation on the faces of our recipients and their families,” she said. “I have developed wonderful friendships through my charity work and past recipients ‘pay it forward’ by helping year after year.”
For more information about Raising Hope for Others, visit www.Raisinghopeforothers.org
