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Notes from the Field
Check out the latest posts on our blog.
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New Video Footage
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Check out these new photos from photographer Eric Stone, who visited our Antigua site earlier this month.
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Did You Know?
Last year, Common Hope's first graders advanced to the next grade at a rate of 78 percent, beating the national average of 66 percent by a wide margin.
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| Most Needed Supplies |
SEPTEMBER
School Supplies
OCTOBER
12-pack colored pencils
NOVEMBER
glue (8 oz bottles),
scissors
See details
of supply needs here.
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Greetings!
Marianela shares about her journey to becoming an obstetrician, a lover of reading needs a Sponsor, Common Hope welcomes a new development director, a Pastor creates a memorable challenge to collect supplies, a sponsorship event brings in 42 new Sponsors ... Read on to learn more about the latest news from Common Hope.
We are happy to offer our eNews in Spanish for the first time. Para leer las noticias en español, haga click aqui.
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There are good people out there like yourselves that create change
Marianela, a medical student in the final stages of residency, wrote this letter to her Sponsors several weeks ago. We thought you would enjoy this window into a student who has come a long way down the road to success.
Dear Sponsors,
I hope with all my heart that this letter finds you well, together with your family with all of the beauty that the day brings us. I want to give you thanks for the unconditional support that I have been given through Common Hope, to create a dream come true for all of Guatemala.
I have almost realized my goal of becoming a doctor. Today I know that there are good people out there like yourselves that create change in the future even in the face of a society that is ailing, that no matter the circumstances, we can change what is happening in our lives and our country. I wanted you to know that I will be at a regional hospital in rural Guatemala, where I will spend the next four months becoming an obstetrician, and I am very excited.
I have already attended my rounds, and it was such a beautiful experience to witness the birth of a new being that will one day be a grown adult; only I am very tired and there are times when we do not sleep while on our rounds. In any case it is no great sacrifice in comparison to the experience of witnessing a new life being born.
I say goodbye to you, and I wish you many blessings to you and your family. I hope that you write soon.
God bless,
Marianela
Photo: Marianela is completing her residency as a gynecological obstetrician at a regional hospital in rural Guatemala.
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This fan of reading needs a Sponsor
 Luis Turuy is 12 years old and attends second grade in the indigenous village of San Rafael el Arado. He enjoys playing ball in his free time, and his favorite subject in school is reading. In Guatemala, children do not have access to many books. Classrooms are not stocked with them, families cannot afford to buy them, and libraries are few and far between. When Common Hope tutors visit classrooms, they bring books along with them so that children have the chance to experience the joy of reading. If you can help ensure that Luis continues to have access to books by becoming his Sponsor, please contact Jessie via email or at (651) 917-1045. Thank you! Photo: Second grader Luis Turuy is in need of a Sponsor. |
Please welcome Peg Fourré, our new development director
 Peg Fourré joined our staff as the new development director this September. She brings a great depth of experience in fundraising,
press relations, marketing, and communications, particularly for non-profit
organizations. Most recently, she ran her own business as a marketing and
communications consultant to nonprofits. Prior to that, she
was the development director at St. Stephen's Human Services and a public
relations specialist for Catholic Charities. Peg also has experience in
the for-profit sector as a marketing and communications director. For her
full bio, please visit our website.
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Pastor creates memorable challenge to promote school and hygiene supply drive  Kids from the vacation bible school at Faith Lutheran Church in Morris, MN had
loads of fun collecting supplies to share with Guatemalan children and families through Common
Hope. The especially fun part was when Pastor Dell Sanderson made a special promise: if the kids filled one large Tupperware tub with school and hygiene
supplies, he would paint his hair purple. If they filled two tubs, he would dance the hula in a floral print dress. And if they filled three tubs, he would kiss a pig.
The kids were so successful with their supply collections, Pastor Dell ended up doing all
three. "Who says sharing isn't fun," says Pastor Dell.
Photo: Pastor Dell Sanderson kisses a pig after the kids at vacation bible school met their supply drive goal.
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Photo event brings in 42 Sponsors, bringing us midway to 2009 goal of 700
 Common Hope supporters Shaun Nugent and Chris Denton
hosted a sponsorship event at the Weinstein Gallery in Minneapolis on August 21st. The event featured portraits of students
taken by Buck Holzemer. Buck received an honorable mention for these
portraits through the International Photography Awards competition.
Forty-two people signed up to be Sponsors at the event, bringing us half-way to our challenge of 700 sponsorships by the end of 2009. See
photos of the event here.
If you have an idea for an event to find Sponsors for Common Hope, please contact Mary Gautschi via email or at (651) 917-0243.
Photo: Over 40 Sponsors signed up at the photo event this August.
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Thanks to Target and volunteer shoppers for helping with back to school shopping  Thanks to a generous donation from the Target Corporation, and several groups of volunteer shoppers, Common Hope is much closer to fulfilling our school supply needs for the 2010 school year.
Target Corporation donated $500 in gift cards to be used where needed most. Adoptive families,
exchange students, neighborhood groups, and the University of St. Thomas women's soccer team volunteered to shop for supplies at Target using the gift cards. Our sponsored children in Guatemala will be
ready for school because of the generosity of these groups and the countless others who have collected supplies for Common Hope. Thank you!
We still need more supplies to finish our school supply drive for the 2010 school year. Scroll down for our September need of the month described below.
Photo: The University of St. Thomas women's soccer team shopped for school supplies at Target last week, using gift cards donated by Target Corporation.
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Combined Federal Campaign Begins
 Attention all federal employees, the Combined Federal Campaign begins this fall, and Common Hope is a participating charity again. Our CFC Number is 10995, and our Federal Tax ID is 41-1560297. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Gautschi via email or at (651) 917-0243.
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Help fill a Guatemalan student's backpack
 Our September need of the month is school supplies: pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, glue (8 oz bottles), colored pencils (12 packs), scissors, rulers, watercolors, calculators,
compasses, and protractors.
Your supply collections help Common Hope to provide opportunities for students and families in Guatemala while saving thousands of dollars, which can be directed to other pressing program needs. Thank you! Please help us reach our goal. | |
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