The Apple Foundation is inspired by the grass roots support Ellie’s hats provides for Northern Virginia families fighting the battle of a lifetime. Parents of children with cancer are overwhelmed by feelings of shock, disbelief, fear, anxiety and sadness. For many, deep financial stressors compound their burden.
Jay Coakley, CEO of Ellie’s Hats, told us the story of one such parent he encountered at INOVA Children’s Cancer Center. Well-known for his frequent visits there, Jay was told by INOVA staff about a particularly distraught parent whose child was a patient. The mother and her family faced eviction from their home. They lacked the means to pay their rent.
Jay is truly one of the Apple community’s heroes, a committed volunteer who works to make lives of those around him better. As founder of Ellie’s Hats in 2013, his organization has donated over 15,000 hats to children battling cancer and their siblings. “Yet, we’re about much more than hats,” Coakley said.
The Apple Foundation has been proud to join their efforts to let these families know they are not alone. The Apple community is there to help.
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