Peyton Milligan launched her small business, Handlettered For Hope, with a larger goal than just selling her hand-lettered frames, signs and other items for profit.
The 16-year-old said the money she makes from the business she launched to honor to honor her godmother, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2020, is given to charitable causes she’s supports.
“(My godmother) was just such an amazing person and put others first,” Milligan said. “I wanted to do something to remember her.”
On Nov. 18, which was World Pancreatic Cancer Day, the Naperville North High School student donated $1,311 to the Lustgarten Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit that gives 100% of its donations directly to pancreatic cancer research. The money is 50% of what she made this summer at the Naperville Farmers Market, she said.
“I want to help people in this tough situation and find better medicine and hopefully find a cure for them,” Milligan said.
Handlettered For Hope came from a Business INCubator class she took last year, she said. The program teaches entrepreneurial skills that students use to develop a product or service idea.
Milligan found she had an interest in writing messages on cardstock to put inside picture frames and on canvas bags, wooden signs and other items. Her business name was chosen to demonstrate that it was a philanthropic pursuit, she said.
Her first donation went to the Lustgarten Foundation because she wanted to contribute to pancreatic cancer research. The disease is afflicting people in their 40s and 50s, which is younger than earlier victims, and is difficult to detect before it’s progressed to an advanced state.
Lustgarten Foundation spokeswoman Stephanie Elsea said a benefactor doubled donations made on Nov. 18, meaning Milligan’s total was more than $2,600.
“Having a younger person be interested in this is exciting,” Elsea said. “We want people to be more engaged in (pancreatic cancer awareness) earlier on, whether it’s for their parents or someone else.”
Milligan’s godmother died relatively young, Milligan said. She was the best friend of Milligan’s mother and the two families were close, she said.
“She was such a light in the world. She passed away so quickly, and it was so fast,” Milligan said. “We thought she would have a lot more time.
“I was originally going to do 10% (of sales for cancer research). But then I was just thinking after how well my frames were doing, I really wanted this to be a large donation. This was a personal cause and this organization is doing great work.”
Handlettered For Hope is now online, with products available through Etsy.com. Milligan said money she makes online will go to the Lustgarten Foundation and Save the Children.
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The money she makes at the 2022 Naperville Farmers Market will go to the Lustgarten Foundation.
INCubator teacher Gene Nolan said it was no surprise Milligan added a fundraising component to her business.
“She’s not doing it simply to make money, she’s also doing it to better others — and that speaks a lot of her character,” Nolan said.