On the Wave: Baseball’s Sepcich Assists Families in Need with Hams for Fams

NEW ORLEANS – For Tulane baseball freshman Stephen Sepcich, helping local families in need during the holidays is a no-brainer.

The first-year outfielder from Jesuit High School in New Orleans partnered with a group of friends to collect donations and purchase meals for families in need during the Christmas holiday season two years ago. The boys appreciated the activity so much during the school's Thanksgiving drive, they decided the fill the need for the following holiday season as well.

"We all enjoyed doing it together, so we thought what about families for Christmas," Sepcich said. "We can't just leave them empty-handed. We saw there was a need and we're trying to fill that. It's really that simple."

Last year, Sepcich and his friends separated from the school to form their own registered non-profit, Hams for Fams. a project of Exceleration foundation. Exceleration is a non-profit organization run by Sepcich's grandfather Terry Bell, a graduate of Tulane Law school.

Though the catchy organization name mentions ham, Hams for Fams provides full meals with ingredients for side dishes, such as macaroni and cheese or sweet potatoes, as well as aluminum foil and pots to cook the meals, if needed.

"For a few families with kids, we actually gave them toys," Sepcich said. "We really try to take care of these families. We're not just giving them the bare minimum. We'd like them to have full Christmas meals. We do whatever we can for these families."
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Hams for Fams distributes portions based on family size, which may range from two to 12 or 13 people. The menu is focused on filling standard needs, but the group hopes to be able to personalize meals in the near future as well.

The personal touch extends to building a connection with the families they feed. Sepcich says they do not want to simply provide food and send people on their way. They write Christmas cards for every single family with a personalized message.

In 2015, the first year of the project, Sepcich and his friends provided Christmas meals to 20 families. In 2016, Hams for Fams raised enough money to provide food to more than 110 families for the holiday season. The group has set a goal of raising enough money and donations to provide meals for 200 families this year.

"We're trying to expand every year," Sepcich said. "We had a few families at the end of the year we had to tell sorry we don't have enough money to feed you. That's why we're continuing to expand the number of families we can feed, and obviously that requires more funds. So that we don't have to tell a family, sorry you just got left out. That's the worst feeling in the world."

With the organization, Sepcich holds the role of volunteer coordinator, while Davis Martin and Alex Welsh serve as co-presidents. The board also includes vice president Palmer Montalbano, family coordinator Jack Quaglino, treasurer Nikhil Gogineni, secretary Luke Navarro, executive aide Cameron Pelitere and board chairman Jack Steib.

Sepcich plans to continue his work with Hams for Fams well into the future, as the group hopes to eventually expand to other cities and provide assistance throughout the year.

"I'm planning to do this long into adulthood," Sepcich said. "Certainly there are needs in other places besides New Orleans, and hopefully we'll be able to fill the need there, or at least do our part. I certainly see this as a long-term thing. I don't see this simply as a project or a resume builder."

For more information about Hams for Fams go to HamsforFams.org.

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On the Wave: Baseball’s Sepcich Assists Families in Need with Hams for Fams

Players Mentioned

Stephen Sepcich

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