State Honoree

Casey Arruda, 17, of Somerset, Mass., a junior at Somerset Berkley Regional High School, started a foundation with his sister in 2013 that raised more than $20,000 to help people suffering from tragedies or natural disasters. The impetus for the siblings’ foundation was the Boston Marathon bombings. Their family would have been standing near the finish line, in close proximity to where the bombs exploded, had they not overslept. “I was reminded that things like this can happen anywhere, even in our own backyards,” said Casey. “Watching countless people run toward the danger, rather than away, inspired us.”

They started the “We Stand Strong Foundation” and made the original “Boston Strong” wristbands to raise money for bombing victims, and then recruited family, friends, classmates and community members to help. They also set up social media accounts to publicize the fundraiser, which has netted more than $11,000 for victims of the bombings. Since then, the foundation raised money to purchase art supplies for a young cancer patient; helped a Greek pensioner who could not access his bank account; and supported causes such as ALS research. Casey and his sister also collected more than 1,650 pairs of gently-used eyeglasses for earthquake victims in Haiti, a clinic in Honduras, impoverished Greeks, and Syrian refugees. And, they distributed $3,000 worth of books to inner-city kids in Washington, D.C. “A tragedy does not define who we are, but, how we respond to it does,” said Casey.