A letter from our founder

It all started when my husband's cousin was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. He had to take time off from work to go through chemotherapy and was struggling to keep up with his bills and medical expenses. I came up with the idea of putting together a fundraiser to help him out. When I mentioned it to my dad, he suggested hosting a softball tournament because he knew he could get teams together to play. I loved the idea, so we decided to make it happen.

I took care of the funding, planning, and organizing, and we held our very first softball tournament. What I wasn't expecting was the amount of love and support we received, especially from complete strangers. Seeing people come together to help someone they didn't even know was such a beautiful thing. I've always been a giver and someone who loves helping others, but that day really touched me. It felt like this was something I was supposed to be doing. I decided right then and there that we were going to do this every year and choose a different individual or family battling cancer to help.

After that first tournament, I started thinking about creating a nonprofit. I knew I wanted to do more than one event a year, but between work and life, I kept putting it off. In July 2024, I finally had the time to sit down and really think about making it happen. I went back and forth on names, but I kept thinking about Rosangel and how much losing her had affected her daughter. I wanted her children to see that even though losing their mom was heartbreaking, something beautiful could still come from it. I wanted them to see their mom's name being used to help other families, bring people together, and make a difference in someone's life. That's how Rosangel's Hits For Hope came about.

"Help people when they need it most, bring our community together, and keep Rosangel's memory alive by giving hope to others."

It was never just about softball. The tournament was how we started helping families, but my vision was always to do more. This year, I decided it was time to start bringing board members on, because I really want to grow the nonprofit and expand what we're able to do for families. Most of the time I've been a one-woman team, working full-time, taking care of my family, and building this nonprofit. It hasn't always been easy, but I've never lost sight of what I want this organization to become. If I want to make a bigger impact, I can't do everything on my own. Bringing on people who believe in this mission is an important part of taking the foundation to the next level.

What started as one fundraiser to help a family in need has grown into something I truly believe in. It's taken time, hard work, and a lot of dedication, and I'm excited about what the future holds.