HARE
STRONG.
One hometown answered.
The campaign has concluded. The community raised more than $37,000, celebrated Jarod’s homecoming, and showed what is possible when neighbors stand together. Now that support can reach the next family.
for the Hare family
at the original benefit
shirts sold
for one of their own
Impact update: October 6, 2026. These are community fundraising results, not amounts raised by one company alone. The $12,000+ original event proceeds and shirt sales are part of—not additions to—the $37,000+ campaign total.
HE CAME HOME.
THEY SHOWED UP.
Fundraisers may come to an end. What people remember is who stood beside them through it all. See the photograph that brings the Hare Strong story full circle.
See the homecoming storyBefore there was a campaign, there was a family.
Jarod and Mikaila Hare are firefighter/paramedics who have spent their careers answering calls for others. After Jarod was seriously injured in a motor-vehicle accident, their own family faced an unexpected road ahead.
In Canal Fulton, Jarod’s hometown, people did what strong communities do. Firefighters, friends, neighbors, local businesses and families came together—not for recognition, but because someone they cared about needed them.
That was the message behind every meal, donation, raffle ticket, support shirt and volunteer hour.
The event was one night.
The support became a movement.
Neighbors helped in the ways they could. This is how it unfolded.
A street filled with purpose.
On August 31, 2026, Canal Fulton gathered for Hare Strong at The Barrel Room on Canal. Music, meals, raffles, vendors and Pass the Boot turned three hours into more than $12,000 in support.
Help kept coming.
Meal Train contributions, direct support, shirt sales, local fundraisers, volunteers and shared stories extended the community’s response well beyond the original night.
Welcome home, Jarod.
Family, friends, firefighters and neighbors came together to celebrate Jarod’s return home. The October 4 community homecoming benefit added another chapter to a story of support that continued beyond the original event.
WELCOME HOME, JAROD.
Family, friends and the fire service came together to celebrate Jarod being home. It was a moment Canal Fulton will remember.
Behind this homecoming were countless acts of generosity—meals, donations, volunteer hours, support shirts and neighbors standing together.
EVERY FAMILY DESERVES A COMMUNITY BEHIND THEM.
Over 100 Hare Strong shirts carried a message of solidarity. For future family campaigns, we plan to create a unique, family-approved design.
One family. One design. A community of support.
For the Hare campaign, the shirt became a way to raise money and show solidarity far beyond the event itself. For future family campaigns we support, we plan to create a dedicated support shirt.
Every design will be created around the family's story, with their involvement and approval. Individual proceeds and fundraising arrangements will be explained clearly for each campaign.
A shirt at the station. A shirt around town. A shirt worn by someone Jarod may never have met. One more reminder that there are people in his corner.
The faces behind the generosity.
Real moments. Real people. From the original benefit to Jarod’s homecoming: the people who made the difference matter as much as the numbers.
Click a photo to enlarge it. Photos shown are the original published Hare Strong event images.
Thank you, Canal Fulton.
To the fire family, donors, businesses, musicians, restaurant partners, organizers, vendors, volunteers, shirt buyers, neighbors and everyone who shared the story: this happened because you showed up. The credit belongs to the people who lifted up the Hare family.
The story continues through Frontline Stands Together.
Hare Strong is one chapter in a larger community effort for first-responder families. It is built on trust, family permission, verified reporting, and people willing to take action—together.
You don't have to figure it out alone.
We want families seeking help—and the people who care about them—to know where to start.
Can I nominate someone who hasn't asked for help?
Yes, you can contact us privately. But sending a referral is not permission to share the person’s story publicly. We will review the request and seek appropriate family consent before considering any public campaign.
What kind of situations can I tell you about?
Situations affecting first responders and their families where community help might make a meaningful difference—including recovery, loss, unexpected hardship, meals, or existing fundraisers. Every situation is reviewed individually.
Does every nomination receive financial support?
No. A referral starts a conversation, not a promise of money, a fundraiser, or assistance. The form helps us understand the need and determine whether there may be an appropriate way to get involved.
Can I still help the Hare family?
Yes. Visit the family's existing Meal Train page to see current ways to support them. The original event has concluded, but community care can continue.
THE HARE STRONG STORY DOESN’T END HERE.
We couldn’t prevent what happened to the Hare family. But together, we could make sure they didn’t face it alone.
Somewhere, another first responder family is facing its hardest days. It’s our turn to show up for them.