No. 16 Vol. 1
www.mypaperonline.com
January 2018
Charitable Organization Brings Community Together To Change Family’s Life
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By Anya Bochman fter Karen Casolaro of Florham Park was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, one of the things on her mind was the overwhelming show of support she had received during her illness. People she had hardly known had stopped by her house with food and offers of emotional support. Casolaro didn’t forget the kindness she was shown, and has spent her life since on a mission to “give back” to the community what she had received. In 2010, following her recovery from the cancer, Casolaro launched Halos for Angels, Inc, a non-profit charity that aims “to take action and help families in need who were experiencing a sudden tragedy or catastrophic event with immediate assistance through to their recovery.” To date, the organization has assisted more than 120 struggling families. In 2016, Halos For Angels would come in contact with Nuno Pereirro, a businessman from East Hanover whose life had taken an unexpected and devastating turn. During a routine business trip, Pereirro went for what he imagined would be a quick swim in the hotel where he was staying; having misjudged the shape of the pool, he dove in and hit the side of the pool head-first. The injury left him a quadriplegic, altering
Pictured, from left, is Frank T. Gizzo, Halos For Angels treasurer; Armando DiRienzo, volunteer; Jean Masini volunteer; Acting Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando; Denise Bocchiaro, teacher at East Hanover’s Frank J. Smith School and her daughter Juliana; Halos For Angels recipients Shannon, daughter Isabella, son Cristiano and Nuno Pereirro; Karen M. Casolaro, founder of Halos For Angels; Ginny Akhoury, Halos For Angels Board of Directors; Judy Bischoff, Halos For Angels Community Affairs director; East Hanover Police Chief Christopher Cannizzo; East Hanover Police Officer Stephen Schere; Florham Park Police Sgt. Brian Alhert; Maria Keselman, Halos For Angels trustee, an unidentified “Angel;” and East Hanover Fireman Ken Hadley. The group is posing in front of the van donated to the Pereirros through a Halos for Angels fundraising effort. Photo courtesy/Karen Casolaro.
not only the course of his own life but that of his family. “If one person is struck, everyone in the family suffers,” Casolaro said. “We try to help for the greater good, and it’s a wonderful thing.” Halos was called in to assist from the
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outset; according to Pereirro, the organization advocated for him to receive more rehabilitation therapy after the Kessler Institute decided to send him home. Additionally, the non-profit supplied the family with meals for an entire year, and helped continued on page 2
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