Hope's Story
Everyone has a story of hope but for the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF), hope signifies much more. Hope is our icon. Hope is alive. She is the calm and ever-present butterfly that accompanies Oliver® the bear on his many adventures in the Oliver & Hope’s® storybooks. Some believe she symbolizes Oliver’s conscience, but the symbolism does not end there, her colorful wings have their own story, too.
The orange wing is a tribute to George, the son of a friend of UHCCF whose courage, charm and loving nature won the hearts of everyone around him. George passed away at the tender age of eight, but leaves behind a legacy of service and courage that we remember with each grant we award. Orange was his favorite color.
Similarly, the purple wing is dedicated to Tom Barbera, founder of UHCCF. It was his idea to create a program to support children whose family were middle income earners, an often-overlooked part of the population that still require assistance, particularly when their children are sick. Tom passed away in March 2020, but through UHCCF, which he started, he continues to help children and families across the country.
So as you see, we all have a story of hope, and at UHCCF we believe that ‘Hope represents the quiet and graceful, yet powerful spread of assistance and smiles.'
