2016 Gift Of The Heart – Our Lady Of Mercy Academy

Woodbury, NJ May 23, 2016
For Immediate Release

The law firm of Hoffman DiMuzio has allocated close to a half a million dollars to its “Gift of the Heart” Community Service Scholarship Foundation. Forty-one graduating seniors from Gloucester & Salem County High Schools have been selected to receive a one thousand dollar scholarship for embodying the service ideals of the program. This week, the 2016 “Gift of the Heart” Hoffman DiMuzio Community Service Foundation recipient is from Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Jessica Baals.

Jessica Baals

Jessica has not let the personal challenges in her life keep her from reaching out to others. In fact, she uses it as her inspiration for her community service. Last year, Jessica founded a non-profit organization called Covers for Comfort, Inc. She makes blankets that she chose to donate to a hospital and cancer treatment center. She chose the hospital because that’s where she had multiple surgeries as a young girl. She chose the cancer treatment center because that where Jessica’s father receives his cancer treatment.

The idea for this charity came from a service project assignment when Jessica was in eighth grade. She subsequently attended the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference where her concept of Covers for Comfort took flight. Jessica can now help others on a much larger scale. In Jessica’s own words, “I completely understand how the people receiving my blankets may be feeling because there have been times in my own life that I have been sick or felt lonely or sad and felt better knowing that someone cared about me.” Great job, Jessica!

Congratulations are extended to Our Lady of Mercy Academy student Jessica Baals as well as to her proud family and friends! Her community service to others exemplifies the true meaning of a Gift of the Heart!

Next week’s featured recipients will be from Penns Grove High School.  

Click here to read more about the Hoffman DiMuzio Gift Of The Heart Scholarship Foundation.

If you’d like to see the rest of the 2016 scholarship winners, click here.