Guest Joyce Cantalice, President of Shop Hamilton
HAMILTON, NJ — As the world copes with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Shop Hamilton, a community-rooted small business association, have joined forces to bring optimism to the community by demonstrating how hope can be created through moments of kindness, gratitude and compassion.“ social campaign.
The “Hope is in Hamilton” campaign will launch May 1 on RWJUH Hamilton and the Shop Hamilton business’ social media pages with uplifting and inspirational messages of hope paired with the hashtag #HopeIsInHamilton. In addition to the social campaign, lavender ribbons symbolizing hope will be placed around the Township.
“The Hope is in Hamilton campaign is an opportunity to use positive experiences and messaging to remind people that Hamilton Township is a community that comes together despite being greatly affected by COVID-19,” said Richard Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJUH Hamilton, “We want to shift the conversations going on in the community and the general outlook to be optimistic, positive and hopeful.”
Originally, the Hope Is In Hamilton campaign was scheduled as a community wide month long special event to create cancer awareness, with popup events, community gatherings and celebrations throughout the month of May. Support came from Shop Hamilton members, as well as local government and education officials, as well as public safety leaders, who were all committed to turn the town lavender, the color of universal cancers.
Following the COVID-19 crisis, the campaign shifted focus, organizers said. With large events and group gathering canceled for the foreseeable future, “Hope Is In Hamilton” was revitalized and re-imagined as a community social media campaign.
“Shop Hamilton is partnering with RWJUH Hamilton to spread hope by asking everyone in our community to answer, ‘where did you get your hope today?’ Our goal is to show that ‘Hope is in Hamilton,’ is alive, and together we will get through this,” said Joyce Cantalice, Chairwoman of Shop Hamilton.
“Each day I become more impressed with all of you: our residents, businesses and township employees of our great town, as we come together, if only virtually, to support one another during COVID-19”, said Hamilton Township Mayor Jeff Martin. “My hope is for a quick resolution to this pandemic as each person does their part in helping us get through this together. You all make me Hamilton Proud and remind me that even in times of struggle, Hope Is In Hamilton. I thank RWJ Hamilton and Shop Hamilton for partnering with the Township to show that #HopeIsInHamilton.”