Growing up the daughter of a pastor, Hope Bradley learned the importance of helping others at an early age.
So when she heard about the chance to become the new leader of Stewart’s Caring Place: Cancer Wellness Center, Bradley was immediately attracted to the opportunity.
“It just felt right in my heart,” she said.
Bradley, 34, of Brunswick, recently became executive director of the Fairlawn nonprofit agency, which provides support each year to about 1,000 individuals with cancer or their family members.
The previous co-directors left the organization in the spring.
Prior to joining Stewart’s Caring Place in October, Bradley worked at Kent State University, where she helped secure gifts for the university’s $250 million capital campaign.
The new position was appealing, she said, “because I can raise money for a building, but it’s something to be able to raise funds for something that is going to change people’s lives at the absolute worst times.”
In her new role, Bradley said her goal is to expand the organization’s financial support so more programs can be added.
Stewart’s Caring Place now relies on two annual events for the majority of its annual operating budget, which she said was roughly $650,000 last year.
“I want to diversify us financially,” she said. “I want to look at having an annual fund campaign. Eventually, I would like for us to do a sustainability campaign.”
The two annual events — the Hope Walk and the Butterfly Gala — will continue, she said. “I want the two events to be the icing on the cake, but not the cake we’re eating from.”
For more information about Stewart’s Caring Place, call 330-836-1772 or go online to www.stewartscaringplace.org.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.
