JAR OF HOPE & CRIMSONRISE UNITE FOR NJ/NYC AUTISTIC COMMUNITY

Asbury Park, NJ: July 13, 2023 - Jim Raffone, Founder/ CEO of JAR of Hope, has announced that Barbara D’Amora has joined the Board of Directors. D’Amora is a founding member of The GRACE Foundation of New York and a board member of Staten Island-based CrimsonRise, both serving the autistic community.

In 2013, Jim and Karen Raffone were told their fouryear-old son James Anthony (“Jamesy”) had an extremely-rare disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duchenne is a fatal, muscle-wasting disease occurring only once in 3,500 live births. There is no cure. These kids are unable to walk by about 13. They’re unable to breathe on their own by the mid-teens. And they generally pass on in their early-twenties…from asphyxiation.

“Karen and I founded JAR of Hope (https://www.jarofhope. org/) to search for a cure,” Jim Raffone says, “and to create awareness of Duchenne md through events focused on fitness, lifestyle, and motor capabilities. When we discovered that many kids with Duchenne also have autism, we invited Barbara D’Amora to join our Board. She’s been a leading advocate for the autistic community in this region for many years.”

To raise funding to research a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Raffone has created signature events around the world, among them climbing Mount Everest and launching the National Push-Up campaign. He’s participated in events like the “Alps to Ocean” in New Zealand, experiencing 50,000’ of altitude changes in seven days while carrying a heavy pack. And he holds six world records for his age group.

“Jar of Hope recently expanded our mission statement to include Autism,” Raffone says. “And we’re working hard to raise funding and awareness for both causes.”

HAPPY SUMMER FROM HAUSER HILL FARMS!

Barbara D’Amora’s son Nick passed away in May at 25. He was a non-speaking autistic person who communicated by spelling, and a co-founder of Staten Island’s CrimsonRise (https://www.crimsonrise.org/). And his mother has been instrumental as an Advisor there.

“Autism is now being correctly understood as a motor and sensory disorder, rather than a cognitive one,” Barbara D’Amora says. “And we’re building an important partnership with JAR of Hope to get that message out.”

Their first joint effort, CrimsonRise’s inaugural “Waterfront Run/Walk for Autism,” takes place at the scenic trails of Wolfe’s Pond on Staten Island, Sunday, September 10.

“There’s a trail running along the ocean and through the woods, and great picnic and barbecue facilities for afterwards,” Jim Raffone says. “We see this becoming a marquee event for autism.”

We are in full swing here on the farm and happy to report that the “BIG THREE” are in: sweet corn, tomatoes and peaches!!! We are also picking zucchini, onions, cabbage, greens, cucumbers, plums, string beans, summer apples, blackberries and more. Did you know that there are three seasons for apples? There are Summer apples, Fall apples and Winter apples. Summer apple varieties are generally in season from July to September. We have some delicious summer apple varieties that are also “must haves” like the

Zestar and Molly Delicious. Come visit us at our farm stand, 261 Ticetown Road, Old Bridge Tuesday – Sunday 9-5, or at any of the weekly farmers markets we attend: Thursdays – Keyport Firemen’s Memorial Park (across from the Fishery) 11am – 7pm, and Rahway Train Station, 12pm – 7pm, Saturdays – Highlands, Huddy Park 9am – 2pm and Sundays – Red Bank in the Galleria parking lot 9am – 2pm. Buy fresh, buy local! Thank you for your support of our family’s farm!