Gift of the Heart – Our Lady of Mercy Academy

Our Lady of Mercy Hoffman DiMuzio Scholarship Fund Recipient

Woodbury, NJ May 21, 2015
For Immediate Release

The law firm of Hoffman DiMuzio has allocated over a quarter of a million dollars to it’s Community Service Scholarship fund. For the next decade, the Hoffman DiMuzio Community Service Scholarship Foundation will award “Gift of the Heart” scholarships to every Gloucester County High School.

Each recipient shall be rewarded with a one thousand dollar scholarship for personifying the service ideals encouraged by the “Gift of the Heart” scholarship program. This week, the 2015 Hoffman DiMuzio Community Service Scholarship final recipient for this year is Emma Durham from Our Lady of Mercy Academy.

Emma Durham

Emma is a wonderful young lady who is always willing to help. From an early age, Emma was taught that service is an integral part of living in a community. At the age of four, she began her community service career by visiting patients at Genesis Healthcare, in Millville New Jersey.

Upon entering high school, Emma organized and participated in numerous community service projects including the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, The Saint Vincent DePaul Society, and area churches in Vineland.

Emma stated that all the charities are close to her heart. However, she began helping the Atlantic City Rescue Mission by collecting clothing, baby supplies, toiletries and financial donations in honor of a good friend, Gabe Chiatello, who passed away unexpectedly and too soon at the young age of just 24.

For the Saint Vincent DePaul Society, she helped to foster a partnership with Progresso Soups encouraging them to provide food to feed the displaced. During the winter months, area churches in Vineland open their doors to the homeless, especially during code blue times, where the temperatures may fall below freezing and become dangerously cold for those who are homeless.

Emma, along with her sister Dana and her mother, collected blankets, and made many meals to feed those staying in the area churches during these times. As you can see, with Emma it’s a family affair, where giving of her heart to the community has been and will be a lifelong process. Emma plans to attend college in the fall. Thank you for your wonderful work Emma!

Sincere congratulations are extended to Emma Durham from Our Lady of Mercy Academy, as well as her parents, family and friends! If you are a Gloucester County student who will be a senior in September 2015, have extensive community service and would like to apply for the Hoffman DiMuzio Community Service Scholarship, please see our scholarship page for details.