Pictured above: Courtney with husband Mike Newman
 
Rotary International District 7475 will honor Courtney Newman, founder of Steps Together, with its prestigious Jean Harris award. Newman was nominated by the Rotary Club of Hillsborough for the extraordinary community service that she offers through her Hillsborough-based 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring the community to pay their blessings forward and support Somerset County families facing a medical crisis. The award will be presented in a virtual ceremony on June 24th.
 
“The Jean Harris Award is the highest honor that Rotary can bestow on a non-Rotarian, explained Rotary Club of Hillsborough President, Tricia Marciano. “Though not a Rotarian, we believe that Courtney truly embodies the ideals of Rotary, as well as our motto, “Service Above Self.”  

Formed in 2013, Steps Together, with the support of the community, provides families facing a medical crisis with needed financial relief, while also bringing awareness to the conditions that impact them. Their stories and needs are shared within the local community by creating pages for each family on the Steps Together website. The site is then used to centralize fundraising efforts to create a “one-stop shop” for anyone wishing to help.  Steps Together has raised over $800,000 since its inception, which has covered a wide spectrum of costs for families facing their most difficult challenges.

Courtney and Mike Newman became inspired to help families after experiencing medical scares with both their young children. During that brief time, the couple learned about the complete disruption to life that occurs, the true cost of medical care and the overwhelming feeling of isolation that can be helped tremendously by the smallest act of kindness.  Courtney decided to find a way to pay her blessings forward and encourage the local community to join her in this endeavor. 

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