At age 13, Addy Mosher is already setting an example of how hard work and a giving spirit can combine to create valuable assistance for an ailing community.
Shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020, local and state restrictions resulted in many residents of Santa Clara County and beyond unemployed and wondering how they would pay their bills, or even feed their families.
Among the organizations, individuals and businesses that stepped up to lend a hand to those in need was Rocca’s Market in San Martin. The market in March 2020 began offering free groceries to customers who were struggling financially due to the pandemic and its fallout.
Rocca’s general manager, Dan Keith, accepted cash donations for the grocery program.
But Mosher, a student at Solorsano Middle School in Gilroy, took it a step further and came up with her own fundraiser. She started making friendship bracelets and selling them for $5 each, with all the proceeds then donated to Rocca’s Market’s grocery giveaway efforts.
“This little girl did over $1,000 in donations” through the crafting and sale of friendship bracelets, Keith said at a casual ceremony recognizing Mosher at the market last week.
Mosher sold hundreds of friendship bracelets for her fundraiser. Demand was so high that Rocca’s set up a sales display at the store, and Addy’s mother, Jenny Mosher, helped with the production—all while the busy teenager juggled her school and soccer schedule.
“People were flocking down here to get bracelets,” Keith said.
Keith recognized the young philanthropist Dec. 16 with a plaque and a $1,100 scholarship, which was funded by other local customers of Rocca’s.
Addy Mosher said in more normal times she used to make friendship bracelets “just for fun” and to give away as gifts.
“I just had a lot of string lying around at home, and once the pandemic hit and we realized people needed help I just started making bracelets,” she said. Some of her friends also helped make bracelets for the fundraiser.
This wasn’t the first time Addy organized an effort to help her local community. In the aftermath of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting in 2019—which resulted in three deaths and 17 people injured by gunfire—Mosher and some friends started a lemonade stand to raise funds for the victims.
The stand, known as Lemonade For Love, did about $3,000 in sales—all of which was donated to the Gilroy Foundation’s victims’ fund, Jenny Mosher explained.
Addy’s mother beamed with pride as she described her daughter’s generosity. Addy said it runs in her blood.
“I feel it is really important that everyone should be able to have food to eat, and clothes,” Addy said. “And it’s important to take care of each other and help each other.
“I was inspired by my family,” she added. “My mom has always been helping people, and I wanted to do something to help too.”
