HOPe is a non-sectarian, charitable organization, dedicated to supporting development projects that empower local communities in Third-World countries. |
|
| November, 2010 | Vol 2, Issue 8 |
|
|
|
|
| HOPe at ROSIE O'GRADY'S MANHATTAN CLUB Tuesday, 11.09.10 | |
By now, you should have received your invitation to attend HOPe's Annual Benefit at Rosie O'Grady's Manhattan Club on Tuesday, 11/09/2010 from 6:30 until 9:30. It will be a fun night in the center of NYC with dinner, a silent auction, and a cash bar for an excellent cause. If you or your friends would like to attend and haven't RSVPd yet, please take a minute to visit our website (www.hope-charity.org) and RSVP on the homepage!
We hope to see you & your friends there! |
| HOPe IN ETHIOPIA | |
HOPe works closely with APA (Aids Partnership with Africa), a non-sectarian group headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The focus of HOPe's Ethiopian program is AIDs/HIV education and prevention within target groups of the Awi and West Gojjam Zones, Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Orphaned children and women are the most vulnerable groups within all of Africa. Ethiopia currently has 4.2m orphaned children who have not only lost their parents but are homeless. Young women & girls, migrating to towns in search of work, are also among the most vulnerable, at the highest risk to HIV infection, and are subject to widespread gender-based violence.
Addressing these two key issues (orphans and women's rights), as well as others, is the primary objective of this project. The joint efforts of HOPe and APA, in partnership, has resulted in a scaling up and intensifying of the local effort to enable the most vulnerable to have access to basic human rights, food & health, night shelters, and education. Local African society is being awakened to the high levels of violation of the basic rights of children and young women in their own communities and this project is enabling them to make significant responses.
As an example of the impact of HOPe in this region, during 2009, almost 3600 people received training, orientation and support through this project. All those who are trained then go to their local community to teach there. As a result, communities are enabled to organize in groups to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic together.
APA/HOPe has also instituted night shelters for orphans. These shelters provide a safe place to to live, food, health services, clothes and pure water. After three months of living at the shelter, the children live with foster families who have attended Basic Business Skills Training (BBST) supported by HOPe, to enable these adults to meet the economic needs of their growing families.
HOPe has a three year commitment to support APA's efforts in Ethiopia. Last year, HOPe donated $40,000, this year our donation is $31,000. Fr. Owen Lambert, the driving force behind APA, visited HOPe during the summer and we were impressed with his dedication, competency and ability to provide documentation of the success of these programs. We look forward to supporting him in his excellent work. |
|
 |
| Save the Date! |
 | | Ceili Dancing - Kerry, circa 1930s |
Friday, November 5, 2010
HOPe Ceili
Kerry Hall, Yonkers
8-12 pm. Music by Pride of Moyvane. Please join us to keep the tradition alive! No experience necessary! If you have any questions about this ceili, please call Pat Buckley at 718.644.9569.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Rosie O'Grady's Manhattan Club
800 Seventh Avenue
(entrance on 52nd St)
6:30 to 9:30 PM |
|
|
| HOPe IN HAITI |
October 22, 2010,
Comite de Gestion de l'Hopital Alma Mater
37, Rue Salomon, Gros-Morne - Haiti
509.630.0621
comitegestionham@yahoo.com
Dear Friends at HOPe,
This letter comes to express most sincere thanks on behalf of the Board of Directors and the administration of Alma Mater Hospital fo your generous gift of $20,000 to help in completing a residence for visiting and resident specialty physicians at our hospital.
As the only 24-hour facility for a community of 135,000 residents (25,000 in the town and the rest in rural areas) we feel that it is urgent that we be able to bring in occasional specialists and to have some resident specialists for our community. The Board of Directors is also keenly aware of the strategic location of our hospital. In both 2004 and 2008, when hurricanes totally destroyed the State Hospital in Gonaives, our hospital recieved many patients who fled the floods of Gonaives and sought refuge in Gros Morne. After the January 12th earthquake that devastated Port-au-rince and points south of it, approximately 23,000 people came to live with family in the Gros Morne area. Once again, our hospital was called upon to supply more specialized services.
However, our hospital has no space to adequately house these specialists who would come from other areas of the country or even from other countries. We have been trying to complete a residence that is just one short block from the hospital and your gift will enable us to complete this project.
We have much hope for the future of our hospital. With the help of partners in the AIDSRelief consortium, we are improving other areas within the hospital to enable our staff to provide the quality of care of which our Haitian brothers and sisters are so in need.
We want to express our sincere thanks to all who are responsible for making this help possible. May your good work continue and your mission be a great success.
Sincerely,
Jacqueline Picard, rjm
|
| HOPe THRIFT SHOP |
 | | Gilberto & Sylvia (in a HOPe Thrift Shop Dress) |
The HOPe Thrift Shop functions as a fund raising arm of HOPe as well as fulfilling the local community's needs. It is located at 301 McLean Avenue, Yonkers NY at the Kerry Hall Building. It contributes to the local community as a place where people can purchase quality items at bargain prices. The profits raised go directly to our projects and it's a great way to clear away clutter.
One nice story of the positive impact of this Thrift Shop is the story of Sylvia and her husband, Gilberto. Sylvia is from Mexico and her husband is from Honduras. Married, with two children, Sylvia cleans homes for a living. Each week, she visits HOPe's Thrift Shop looking for bargains to help her meet her family's needs. She says that the store is the best thing that has happened to her community and that she is amazed at the quality of items she has been able to purchase.
Sylvia has not seen her mother in 14 years and her husband's relatives have never seen her because they don't have the resources to travel home. Their families have been requesting a picture. "I want to go to Sears to have our picture taken; but I do not have a nice dress to wear," said Sylvia.
One Saturday morning, HOPe's Kathy Hannigan, who was volunteering at the Thrift Shop, donated a beautiful lavendar chiffon dress. It was simple but very elegant. Sylvia fell in love with the dress. Kathy said, " I bought this dress for a very special occasion and wore it only once. I will be glad to know another woman may wear this dress for another memorable occasion." This dress was a perfect fit for Sylvia. It was like "a dream come true." The original cost of this dress was $200, Sylvia purchased it for $10!
After a few weeks, Sylvia came back to show Elba Lopez, HOPe's VP, the pictures. She was beaming with pride and thrilled about the dress. Gilberto had said, on the day of the photo "Sylvia, you even look beautiful today!" Sylvia's heart is full of gratitude for finding a beautiful dress at the right price in the HOPe Thrift Shop. This is one of the many happy stories that take place in our Thrift Shop.
The Thrift Store is open Friday, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm.
Stop by and visit if you can!
|
|
HOPe ABOUT TOWN |
Our Facebook page has been a great success with 149 fans in less than 2 months! If you haven't done so already, please become a fan and keep abreast of the events and news of HOPe. Visit www.facebook.com/hope-charity . Feel free tag yourself if you see a picture you are in, comment, spread the word to your friends. We need to grow our membership if we are to keep helping others around the world. And, we have also have a LinkedIn page, which is a business version of Facebook. If you are on LinkedIn, please join our group at www.linkedin.com/hope-charity and spread the word about HOPe! |
|
FEEDBACK FROM OUR READERS | |
Thank you for sending me the latest email and update on your wonderful commitments.
I see that HOPe is growing and spreading her wings. I am impressed.
In solidarity,
- Father Leo Shea
Keep up the good work, Gerry! It's good to keep abreast of your good works.
-Glenn Tepper
I read the Hope newsletter with interest and want to say that the work in Tanzania being undertaken and accomplished by the two girls is nothing short of amazing. What a difference it is making to the lives of the people in these impoverished areas. Water is just the mainstay of life and living. In all of these areas of impoverishment, water, or I should say, the lack thereof, seems to be at the root of the poverty' hardship and suffering of the people. You all are doing great work and are very successful in your fundraising efforts. Good for you.
- Maureen McCarthy
|
| HOPe IN VERSE | |
Our friend, John Sweeney, found this poem he wrote years ago. We feel that its positive message is applicable to our organization and what we hope to bring to others. Thank you, John.
HOPE
by John Sweeney
Hope is a snowdrop in springtime
which tells us the Summer is near.
Hope is a voice in the darkness
which says there is nothing to fear.
Hope is a star in the distance
to be our guide on the way.
It will lead us to far away places
that we'll reach by the end of the day.
There's hope in the heart of a mother
when she hears the first cry of her child.
There's hope in the sweat of the sower
as he watches the field where he toiled.
There's hope in the strength of the sailor
as he goes on the wild waves to ride.
And there's hope in the young lover's longing
when he gives a first kiss to his bride.
Hope is to dream of a new land.
A land where there's shelter for all.
Where we play in a garden of sunshine
And we live in a house with no wall.
Hope is that long road before us;
As we wind our way over the hill.
And there's hope in the smile of the morning
that at dusk that same smile be there still.
|
|
|
- Joseph A. McCarthy, President, 914-433-8413
- Dr Elba Nilda Lopez, Vice President, 718-931-3870
- Michael Pryce, Secretary, 914-699-1503
- Eileen Kennedy, Treasurer, 914- 557-1595
- Gerry O'Shea, PRO & Newsletter Editor, 914-237-4957
- Billy O'Sullivan, Director of Fundraising, 917-337-5353
|
|
|
|
|
|
