This month, Help Hope Live team and community members got the chance to bowl in the company of extra-special local guests, including an appearance from Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. Take a look – along with a few highlights from Kelly L Green, our Executive Director.
“We found connection, laughter, and so much joy.”
For an evening of friendly competition and a lot of fun, we were joined by Brand Champion and former Eagle Barrett Brooks, Board Members Keith Newerla and Jim Madden, Help Hope Live team members Shannon, Brooke, and Kelly, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Craig Kaplan, and the families of Help Hope Live client Sidney Schmid and client Ambassador Kelson Williams.
“We watched a Help Hope Live kid bowl for the very first time. Go, Sidney!”
Sidney received an adaptive bike in July 2025 through our Every Child Deserves a Bike partnership with the Flyers Alumni Association. It was a delight to reconnect with Sidney and family and watch the 3-year-old enjoy his first bowling experience.
“Keith was a wealth of resources and fun.”
If you know Help Hope Live’s team and Board, you know it’s important to us to always pair energy and enthusiasm with expertise. Keith and Jim brought their passion for our mission to the forefront, serving as an extension of our commitment to families like Sidney’s and Kelson’s.
“Barrett bravely sacrificed his athleticism so the kids could look good.”
We hope you’ve already experienced Barrett Brooks’ infectious charm, humor, and deep love for our mission. He’s a Brand Champion who finds so many opportunities to share what we do while bringing joy to others, including through our Hope Travels 5K and our 2025 Live It Up! gala.
“Kelson was the star of the alley.”
We hope you got the chance to meet Kelson and hear his fundraising story in-person at our annual gala or through our 2025 annual year-end appeal. If you have spent any time with Kelson, you’ll understand why it was no surprise to our team to see the athletic and charismatic 12-year-old crush another sport!
Kelson received an adaptive bike in 2022 through our Flyers Alumni Every Child Deserves a Bike partnership. Three years and several fundraising milestones later, we’re lucky to call him and his mom, Stephanie, Ambassadors.
We even overhead Stephanie explaining the importance of our mission and impact during the bowling night. By choice, our Ambassadors are never off-duty once they are impacted by our work and their community’s support!
Kelly couldn’t resist adding this tidbit – speaking of alley stars:
“Brooke bowled a strike! It was impressive and very unexpected…then she did a little happy dance following. Loved it. Authentic joy!”
“It reflected exactly what makes Help Hope Live special: heartfelt, unfiltered moments of community.”
We are so grateful for the chance to see one of our favorite Eagles bring delight and friendly competition to the Help Hope Live community.
There are a lot of reasons to give to Help Hope Live around the end of the year, but we hope you’ll add this one to your list: donations fuel a team that is genuinely and personally committed to increasing the amount of joy and connection that our client families experience.
From overcoming financial obstacles to care and healing to feeling a little joy on a cold December evening with friends by your side, and from bowling nights in Philly to client fundraisers spanning all 50 states, hope takes many forms.
When you donate, you pledge to believe in hope, community support, and a brighter future right along with us.
