Outreach continues during pandemic
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a productive year for Inheritance of Hope – a charity founded by a West Point family that was living in Cornwall-on-Hudson.
When Kristen Milligan was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2007, she and her husband Deric looked for an organization that helped young families with a terminally ill parent. None existed, so they formed their own.
Inheritance of Hope provides Legacy Retreats at fun places around the nation. During these weekend events, families create memories. They also meet people facing the same problems, and parents receive guidance on how to cope.
Mrs. Milligan died in 2012, a few years after the family moved south. The organization she and her husband established has continued to grow, In 2020, Inheritance of Hope served 1,802 people in 612 families,
In a recent mailer, the charity summarized the past year. “The uncertainty the world faced last year,” the mailer reported, “is similar to the uncertainty Inheritance of Hope families face every day. Despite a pandemic, our team continued to work tirelessly from home to inspire hope in families facing the loss of a parent.”
During the year, 205 people participated in Hope@Home TM Groups. One of them shared their reaction to the outreach. “Inheritance of Hope is one of the true gems out there that truly cares for people. We now feel as if we are a part of an extended family that supports and encourages each other,”
Another participant thanked Inheritance of Hope for a “life changing experience.”
On Giving Tuesday, grateful donors showered Inheritance of Hope with $348,000 in contributions. Among the donors were 273 families that had been helped by the charity in the past.
