Press Release:

Gala of Hope Foundation Awards Pink Ribbon Girls $16,000 Grant to Help Increase Meals to Cancer Patients and Families During COVID-19

Beavercreek, OH, March 27, 2020 - Gala of Hope Foundation awarded Pink Ribbon Girls a $16,000 grant to help increase meals to cancer patients who suffer from food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis.

“Cancer patients are among the more vulnerable to COVID-19. Add to that children home for an extended period, and anxiousness over walking into groceries and other places. We believed coming alongside Pink Ribbon Girls and helping expand their meal program during this time was vital,” shared Jeff Brock, Executive Director. “This grant will help hundreds of patients in the Dayton region who are facing the need for extra meals and good nutrition. Relieving stress is important to helping cancer patients become victors.”

Heather Salazar, CEO of Pink Ribbon Girls, shared, “We are so thankful for our friends at Gala of Hope. We reached out to them immediately to partner with us to ensure any of our clients needing extra meals would receive them. Last week, I admit, I was scared and overwhelmed. My biggest fear is not being able to serve everyone who needs our services. I received a text from Jeff Brock, Executive Director for Gala of Hope, on Friday saying their board approved a grant for the meals. This brought tears to my eyes and provided me with HOPE. It gave me hope and confidence.” Barbara Mills, Gala of Hope’s Co-Founder and Board President said, "This is how God intended us to live... caring for each other."

Gala of Hope is now helping Pink Ribbon Girls to increase from 3 meals to 5 each week served to its clients and their families battling breast or gynecological cancer and suffering from food insecurity. In 2019, Pink Ribbon Girls identified that 47% of its clients, according to FDA standards, suffer from food insecurity. The increased meals will begin April 1.

“As we continue to repeat, cancer does not stop for COVID-19, and whatever we can do to help minimize the stress during this period for cancer patients will make a difference. Just as we are all banding together to fight COVID-19, we continue to do the same to defend cancer patients against its onslaught. We are better together,” shared Brock.

About Gala of Hope Foundation

Gala of Hope Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2014 to serve the Dayton region as a financial resource for cancer patients, cancer treatment, and local cancer research.  At its core, Gala of Hope Foundation was created and is sustained by gifts from generous people committed to changing the face of cancer in the Dayton region. The Foundation serves as a grant maker and a voice for Dayton region cancer patients and its cancer care community.

For more information, contact Jeff Brock, Executive Director at 937-239-5482 or visit www.galaofhope.net

About Pink Ribbon Girls

Pink Ribbon Girls provides critical services to breast and gynecological cancer patients at their time of greatest need. This is independent of age, stage, or socio-economic considerations - because cancer doesn’t discriminate. PRG provides healthy meals, rides to treatment, house cleaning, and peer support to all clients.

For more information about PRG, visit www.pinkribbongirls.org.

Contact: Kyle White kwhite@pinkribbongirls.org 937-216-2975