Hale Law Awards 2026 Hale Helps™ Scholarship to Melanie Kersten for Community Service

Hale Law, a personal injury firm serving Florida's Gulf Coast, has named Melanie Kersten as the recipient of its 2026 Hale Helps™ Scholarship. The $1,000 award is granted annually to a graduating high school senior in Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte County who demonstrates how one of the firm's core values is reflected in their own life story. Melanie plans to attend Florida State University this fall, where she intends to continue growing her nonprofit organization, Bags of Care, while expanding its impact through a student organization dedicated to community service.

The Hale Helps™ Scholarship is part of the firm's wider Hale Helps™ community program, which also includes a Teacher of the Year award, an annual backpack giveaway, and a Student of the Month recognition. Applicants for the 2026 cycle submitted a 750- to 1,000-word essay, a resume, and a recent academic transcript. To qualify, students wrote about a personal challenge they had overcome and connected their story to one of Hale Law's stated core values. Each submission moved through a competitive review, with automated tools and manual checks used to confirm that the work was the applicant's own. Melanie was selected from a large number of applicants across the three-county region. Scholarship funds are paid directly to the college or university she chooses to attend.

"Our goal is to celebrate and amplify the unique journeys and stories of local students, inspiring them to pursue their dreams with vigor and optimism," said Patrick M. Hale, Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Hale Law.

Melanie's application stood out for its extraordinary commitment to serving others. After watching her mother battle breast cancer, she founded Bags of Care, a nonprofit organization that creates and delivers care packages to cancer patients. Through grassroots fundraising, partnerships with local businesses, and community support, she has raised more than $1,000 and personally delivered 60 care packages—30 for adults and 30 for children—to patients at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Her connection to All Children's is deeply personal, as the hospital saved her life when she was just three years old.

In addition to founding Bags of Care, Melanie has volunteered more than 500 hours through Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Teen Volunteer Program, serving patients at both the Sarasota and Venice campuses. Her long record of service reflects the compassion, resilience, and dedication the Hale Helps™ Scholarship was created to recognize.

Hale Law also supported Melanie's mission by helping fund supplies for her nonprofit's care packages. Co-Managing Partner Patrick Iyampillai joined Melanie in assembling care bags for local cancer patients, underscoring the firm's commitment to serving the community alongside the people making a difference.

Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties form the core of Hale Law's service area, where the firm maintains offices in eight Gulf Coast communities. The scholarship reflects the firm's commitment to investing in local students whose leadership and service strengthen the communities they call home.