In an effort to join the battle against childhood cancer, Papa John’s Pizza in Hillsborough will host a coin collection for Alex’s Lemonade Stand starting Friday through the end of the month.

The Papa John’s team was inspired to get involved with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation after seeing a local news story on Alexandra “Alex” Scott. After realizing how easy it was to get involved, they decided to hold this fundraiser.

Papa John’s Pizza is well known for its involvement with charitable causes nationwide. The company has formed a national partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) and is also a proud supporter of Boy Scouts of America.

The owners of Papa John’s Pizza in Hillsborough and Flemington, John and Karen Moretti, have a long history of giving back to their community as well.

“We learned at an early age as EMTS and firefighters that helping someone in need fosters an unbelievably rewarding feeling. Our teams at our restaurants and our customers are compassionate people. When we participated in the Toys for Tots program last November/December, our donation boxes were overflowing! We knew we could do wonders for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, too."

It’s easy to donate:

• Stop by Papa John’s in Hillsborough or Papa John’s in Flemington and toss your spare change in their collection jar.
• Donations may also be made online.
• Another way for the community to participate, particularly children, is to hold a lemonade stand during the eighth annual National Lemonade Days, June 8 through 10. Registrations can be completed here. “If our customers indicate us (Papa Johns in Hillsborough and Flemington), as their referrer when the registration asks "“How Did You Hear About Us?” we will receive a $25 donation from Volvo toward our fundraising goals for this very worthy cause.”

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front-yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer.

Since Alex held that first stand, the foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $50 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure, funding over 200 research projects nationally.