FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2010
Media Contact: Jenny Stickley jenny@hatcherfoundation.org
Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer
Earns Spot as a September Finalist for
Pepsi Refresh Project for $250,000 grant
Foundation Making National Call for Votes to Support
Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month
Chattanooga, TN:
After finishing in the top 100 spots of all competitors of the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project for the month of August, the Austin Hatcher Foundation for pediatric cancer has earned a spot in September’s Pepsi Refresh competition. The Foundation’s application “Hatch’s house of hope: Empowering children with cancer and their families” will once again be vying for a $250,000 grant, competing against other “fresh ideas” from across the country.
The Foundation is asking people across the Country to show their support during September, Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. The competition is based on popular votes; supporters can go online and/or text to vote for the Foundation once each day during the month of September. The 2 ideas in the $250,000 grant category with the most daily votes at the end of the month will win.
“We are so fortunate to have had the votes in August to get to compete in September. Thank you to everyone who supported the Foundation and its mission to equip families with the tools necessary to cope in the face of a cancer diagnosis,” said Amy Jo Osborn, President of the Austin Hatcher Foundation. We hope that everyone will keep voting daily this month, as well as help us find new supporters to vote. $250,000 will go a long way to help Hatch’s provide these necessary services for families dealing with pediatric cancer.”
Anyone can vote for the Austin Hatcher Foundation’s grant proposal once each day during August. You can vote three ways! Text 101703 to Pepsi (73774), vote online at www.refresheverything.org/hatcherfoundation and vote through Facebook by downloading the App. Voting is easy and a great way to help make a difference. To learn more about the Foundation and its participation in the Pepsi Refresh project, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org or refresheverything.org. For daily reminders to vote, become a fan of the Austin Hatcher Foundation on Facebook.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation for a carefree childhood was formed in 2006 after Amy Jo and Jim Osborn lost their infant son Hatch to a rare form of pediatric cancer. The foundation’s mission is to support research towards the diagnosis, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer, and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment, as well as those who have lost children due to cancer. The foundation has developed a landmark group of programs and services essential to help cancer stricken children and their families function within their community. All services provided by the Foundation are free of charge, funded solely by the generous donations of its supporters.
Hatch’s house of hope is a unique Austin Hatcher Foundation concept designed to empower children and families affected by pediatric cancer to thrive. The landmark cancer care center equips children and their family members with the educational, emotional and social skills necessary to succeed. Specifically, these services include Problem Solving Skills Training, neurocognitive testing, educational programming to help effected children overcome their cognitive and learning deficits, emotional counseling for the cancer affected child, their siblings and parents, and marital and financial counseling to ensure a safe environment to maximize the family growth as a whole. All services at Hatch’s are free to its guests, funded entirely by donations. Erlanger Medical Mall in Chattanooga, TN, is the site of the first Hatch’s house of hope, which opened September 18, 2009. This Hatch’s is the model for other Hatch’s in the planning stages nationwide. For more information, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org or www.hatcherfoundation.org.
The Pepsi Refresh Project is a program sponsored by Pepsi designed to Refresh the world. Pepsi is giving away millions of dollars each month in the form of grants from $5,000 to $250,000, to the ideas that receive the most votes after being selected to compete in the Challenge. Grant categories include health, the planet, arts and culture, food and shelter, education, and neighborhoods. For more information on the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, go to www.refresheverything.com.













