Wayne, Penn. – After an exciting MLK Day of Service in January and a long winter, HOPE worldwide volunteers were ready to shake the dust off and set out into their communities to serve. This year’s National Volunteer Week was especially significant at HOPE worldwide as it was the organizations biggest involvement yet for this celebrated week of service! This year also marked HOPE worldwide’s first year participating in Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) and it truly was global as projects were hosted all over the United States, Canada and India!
In celebration of the passing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act one year ago, HOPE worldwide Chapters hosted more than 30 service sites across the United States, two projects in India and one project in Canada. In total, 1,367 volunteers served more than 4,200 hours through numerous projects.
HOPE worldwide volunteers:
- cleaned and renovated 45 homes and community areas
- handed out 2,253 door hangers with disaster preparedness information
- had 665 conversations regarding disaster preparedness
- picked up 30 pounds of trash
- planted 758 trees
- collected 300 items for food banks
- removed trash and graffiti from 12 city blocks
- moved one family into a wheelchair accessible apartment
- served over 3,600 people with meals, cards and celebrations.
HOPE worldwide was encouraged by their continued partnership with the American Red Cross as volunteers from three HOPE worldwide Chapters partnered in projects for National Volunteer Week and GYSD.
The North America Chapters of HOPE worldwide are engaged in service programs year-round, but it was particularly inspiring when Volunteer Coordinator Nadine Templer (New Delhi, India) contacted Jaclyn Morris, National Volunteer Coordinator at HOPE worldwide, to see how young people in her community could get involved. Nadine shared that there are many paid staff at the HOPE worldwide orphanage and school in New Delhi, therefore volunteers “don’t always feel the burden to serve.” She was excited for the opportunity to show the youth in her community that they are needed and that they can make a difference as they work alongside volunteers all over the globe.
Another highlight for HOPE worldwide’s GYSD was in Philadelphia, Penn. Volunteers led 10 students from the Chapter’s weekly Saturday Academy program in North Philadelphia to a community park to plant trees and pick up litter. As Maria Fuqua and Lauren Mackenzie, full-time AmeriCorps members at HOPE worldwide, planned GYSD, they knew they wanted to involve the students from Saturday Academy. Their mission was to show the students that no matter where you are from or what your life situation is, you can still serve. Maria Fuqua shared, “The kids were so excited to serve! When lunchtime came, they all wanted to keep working.” When asked about what he enjoyed most about planting trees, a Saturday Academy student responded “I like getting to do “guy” stuff!”
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Visit us at www.HOPEww.org to learn more about all of HOPE worldwide's programs and see how you can be a part of global change to bring hope to some of the world's most needy.
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