Sallie Mae Surprises Cancer Survivor Lucas Hobbs with $10,000 on The Rachael Ray Show
Money Deposited into Upromise
GoalSaver Account to Help Minneapolis Child Chef and
Philanthropist Save for College
NEWARK, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sallie Mae – the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college
company – today surprised 12-year-old cancer survivor and budding chef
Lucas Hobbs of Eagan, Minn., with $10,000 for college on The Rachael Ray
Show. The money will be deposited into a Upromise
GoalSaver account – Sallie Mae’s free, no-fee, goal-based savings
account – to help Lucas save for college and pursue his passion to help
others.
“I was so surprised not only to cook with Rachael Ray but also to be
recognized by her especially for something I enjoy doing so much:
helping others,” said Lucas. “To also receive $10,000 from Sallie Mae is
just amazing and I know it will help me save for college and continue to
make a difference in my community.”
Lucas was featured on the nationally syndicated The Rachael Ray Show
after using his Make-A-Wish Foundation wish to pay it forward to the
people who helped him fight his illness. Lucas selflessly asked for a
food truck, which he’s used since July, to serve staff and patients at
the Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, officers at
Minneapolis police headquarters, members of his church, and others in
the Minneapolis area with a full menu of food he cooked and prepared.
“Lucas is a rock star,” Ray said. “Deepest appreciation to our friends
at Sallie Mae; they were so moved by Lucas’ selflessness.”
Sallie Mae’s Upromise
GoalSaver is a free, no-fee, FDIC-insured online savings account
that makes it easy for families to save for college and other goals all
in one place. Families simply set a goal, save toward it via automatic
or individual deposit, and track their progress. Upromise GoalSaver also
rewards account holders with a competitive interest rate, available
annual cash back bonuses, and cash back rewards through Upromise
by Sallie Mae. Collectively, Upromise members have earned more than
$900 million in cash-back rewards for college.
“When we learned of Lucas’ amazing story and tireless efforts to thank
those who helped him overcome his illness, we knew we wanted to help,”
said Martha Holler, senior vice president, Sallie Mae. “Lucas has a true
passion for helping others, and it’s clear this is just the beginning.
We are excited to see what’s next for him and thrilled to provide this
down payment for his college education.”
Sallie Mae recommends the 1-2-3 approach to saving for college: first,
open a savings account; second, set a goal and regularly contribute
money; and third, explore tax-advantaged options.
For more information on saving, planning, and paying for college visit www.SallieMae.com.
Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and
paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just
around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible
personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards,
scholarship search, college financial planning tools, and online retail
banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com.
Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are
not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
Contacts
Sallie Mae
Abigail Brooks, 302-451-0230
abigail.brooks@salliemae.com
