Five students aid Wish Upon a Hero
Hurricane Sandy impacted thousands of families in the region. Amid the challenges that so many faced in the wake of Sandy, countless Hurricane Heroes came to the rescue. These individuals lessened the burdens of others, and showed the importance of outreach. Among these Hurricane Heroes are five, young southern New Jersey residents who attend Merion Mercy Academy. Grace Gutos, Julia Littleton, Amelia Piccone, Maria Zeris and Courtney Pellegrino knew they had to do something to help. Partnering with Wish Upon a Hero — a non-profit organization founded after Hurricane Katrina that has granted more than 96,000 wishes to date — the students set out to make a difference. Grace, a freshman at Merion Mercy, serves as National Youth Ambassador for Wish Upon a Hero. Uniting a service-minded community such as Merion Mercy with Wish Upon a Hero proved a logical fit and a great way to get quick relief to the hurricane victims.
The five students initiated a call to action at the school, asking the entire student body to participate. They hoped to donate 1,000 non-perishable items to Wish Upon a Hero. The organization would take the donations to local churches and individuals to get them through the post-Sandy weeks. Merion Mercy swiftly rose to the occasion, collecting more than 1,000 items in three days. Wish Upon a Hero’s “Wish Van” picked up the food and promptly delivered to those in need.
