Earlier this week, The Hope Effect hosted its second annual Christmas party for the children in the government-run orphanage in San Luis Río Colorado (SLRC), Mexico. It was a wonderful event that allowed us to bring hope to the children and continue to build our relationship with the new SLRC government.

Prior to the party, our incredible partners at Tortoise & Hare Sports organized a fundraising drive to provide presents for the children. They raised $800 to cover all the costs of the party and gifts for the orphans! Thanks to their generosity, we were able to provide a new pair of shoes, socks, a small toy, and a bag of candy for each child. And of course, it’s not a party without food and dessert…so we brought tamales and cupcakes as well. We are so thankful for everyone who donated to make this event happen!

 
As always, it was awesome to have the opportunity to interact with the children. They were thrilled to hear their names called individually to come receive their special gifts! As we continue to work through the long process to obtain government approval to provide family-style care in SLRC, we are thankful we are able to show love to these orphans right now. And we are grateful for your continued support that makes it possible!

We were also very encouraged by our conversations with the SLRC government at the event. Over the last year, we’ve been working hard to build and maintain relationships with government officials and the SLRC DIF (Mexico’s version of CPS). Due to a recent election, many of the city and DIF leadership positions changed hands, so we’ve been trying to get to know the new leaders.

The new head of the DIF in SLRC (who is the wife of the newly-elected mayor) attended the Christmas party, along with her chief of staff and a few additional employees. We had great discussions, and they were very supportive of our proposed model of orphan care. The chief of staff actually said she agrees that the orphans need to get out of institutional care and into families! That’s a HUGE step in the right direction!

It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come since our Christmas party last year. One year ago – at that party – was the first time we were able to go into the DIF facility and interact with the orphans. Over the past year, thanks to your generosity and support, we were able to work much more closely with the DIF. Because of that, we are optimistic about receiving government approval and starting to provide family-style care in SLRC in 2019…and we look forward to sharing updates along the way!

Thank you for partnering with us – you are making such a difference! Together, we are changing how the world cares for orphans!

This year, one of our main focuses has been bringing family-style orphan care to the city of San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. Thanks to your support and partnership, we’ve made great progress in 2018!

As we work through the process to obtain government approval to provide family-style care, we’ve built relationships with government officials and organizations, and we formed a partnership with the SLRC DIF (Mexico’s version of Child Protective Services). We’ve also been able to work with and bring hope to the orphans currently living in the city’s government-run orphanage. 

Working with those children has highlighted the urgent need to get these kids in families. We’ve learned their stories and seen firsthand the impact that institutional care is having on them. 

One of the little girls in the orphanage, Rosa* (on the left in the photo above), came to the DIF facility shortly after she was born. She’s now almost four years old and she just started preschool. For a while, Rosa had some extended family – her aunt – visiting her a few times a year. But for whatever reason, her extended family can’t adopt her, and those visits have stopped over the last eight months. Now, we are the only people from outside the orphanage who come to see her.   

This little girl has lived almost her entire life within the walls of the orphanage. And while the staff of the DIF facility does the best they can, Rosa has had no parental interaction and has never known the love of a family. Rosa has always been cared for by a rotating staff, and she’s been through three different SLRC mayors (which means new orphanage leadership) and multiple staff changes. 

Rosa needs to get out of the institution and into a family. As she gets older, she is statistically less and less likely to be adopted. But because of legal issues and paperwork holdups, this little girl is technically not even eligible to be adopted. 

This is why we do what we do – why we need to change how the world cares for orphans. Because of kids like Rosa. Because every child deserves a family.

If you want to make a difference in the lives of children like Rosa, we’d love to partner with you! #GivingTuesday, an international day of giving, is coming up on November 27. All donations raised on that day will go toward our work in San Luis Río Colorado. And one of our generous supporters has offered to match every donation made on #GivingTuesday…up to $20,000! That means you can double the impact of your gift! If we reach the entire match amount, our project in San Luis Río Colorado will be fully funded!

We are so grateful for your support. We dream of a day when every orphan is in a loving family environment…and we can’t do it without you! Together, we are changing how the world cares for orphans!

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE HOPE EFFECT ON #GIVINGTUESDAY!

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of October, which means the holiday season is just around the corner. Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, followed by two of the busiest shopping days of the year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Then, immediately after we spend those days searching for deals, we have an opportunity to give back…on #GivingTuesday!

#GivingTuesday takes place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and it’s the kickoff to the giving season. #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that celebrates generosity and encourages individuals, organizations, and communities to give back!

This year, we invite you to use this day to change how the world cares for orphans and help provide family-style care for children around the world!

In years past, we’ve been so amazed by the generosity of our supporters on #GivingTuesday, and we’re so excited to participate again in 2018! This year, donations raised will be used to complete our goal of fully funding our project in San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico.

One of our main focuses this year has been bringing bring family-style care to SLRC. We’ve made great strides in building relationships with government officials and organizations in that city, and we are working to obtain government approval to provide family-style care. And thanks to your generosity, we’ve been able to show love and bring hope to the orphans currently in government care.

At the same time, we’ve continued raising funds to cover the operating expenses of the family-style care we are working to provide in SLRC. We are SO CLOSE to being fully funded, and you can help us get there in 2018! Your donation to The Hope Effect on #GivingTuesday will help support this important initiative.

We are also thrilled to announce that one of our generous supporters has offered to match every donation made on #GivingTuesday…up to $20,000! That means you can double the impact of your gift…and if we reach the entire match amount, our project in San Luis Rio Colorado will be fully funded!

Thank you for your continued support and generosity – we can’t do any of this without you! Together, we are changing how the world cares for orphans!

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE HOPE EFFECT ON #GIVINGTUESDAY!

Former S.L.R.C. DIF Facility Director Aracely Arroyo Hernández with Efecto Esperanza Director Raquel Leal de Ornelas.

In 2018, The Hope Effect has been working to bring family-style care to San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. Currently, orphans in S.L.R.C. are living under institutional care provided by DIF, which is Mexico’s version of CPS.

Throughout the long process of obtaining government approval for family-style care, we’ve worked to build and maintain a relationship with the DIF employees in S.L.R.C. Late last year, we hosted a Christmas party for the orphans, and in 2018 we built beds for many of the children living in the DIF facility. Over the last several months, thanks to your generosity, we have continued providing essential items like shoes and clothing for the children.

As we built our partnership, it became clear the DIF director and staff members truly care about the children. However, while the facility provides for the basic physical needs of the orphans, being raised in an institutional environment often results in lifelong negative effects on children. For example, inconsistency in caregiving due to a rotating staff or employee turnover might lead to children not receiving enough personal interaction within a loving environment.

This issue is highlighted currently in S.L.R.C., as the DIF facility is currently undergoing major staffing changes. In the city of S.L.R.C., the mayor’s wife automatically assumes the role of DIF President. That means whenever a new mayor is elected, the leadership of DIF changes.

Recently, a S.L.R.C. elected a new mayor, so DIF has a new president who is bringing in a new staff. Although we are confident the new president and staff will be caring and attentive to the children, the staff change presents difficulties for everyone involved.

Institutional orphanages already typically have a rotating staff caring for the children. There aren’t primary caregivers giving consistent love and attention the way there would be in a family setting. Now, the orphans in S.L.R.C. will need to adjust to an entirely new staff, which can be traumatic and upsetting.

In addition, The Hope Effect will need to build new relationships with the leadership and staff. We’re not quite starting over, because we’ve worked so closely with the facility and the children all year, even receiving multiple awards for our service. But the new leadership will be relatively unfamiliar with our organization and our goals, so we’ll work hard to maintain our partnership with the DIF facility in S.L.R.C.

We’re so grateful for the previous leadership and staff of DIF who partnered with us over the last several months. In fact, the previous director of the DIF facility in S.L.R.C., Aracely Arroyo Hernández, has agreed to join The Hope Effect team! She’ll be working with us and providing after school programs in the DIF facility, and we are excited to continue our partnership with her!

Ultimately, although this transition presents its challenges, it reinforces the importance of bringing family-based care and stability to the children in San Luis Río Colorado. We are optimistic and excited about our progress in this city, and we look forward to keeping you updated along the way!

This is the sixth and final edition in our blog series surrounding The Hope Effect’s values, based on six orphan care standards: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation.

Innovation

We are pioneering new solutions in both the short-term (orphan care) and the long-term (community involvement).

Worldwide, millions of children grow up without a family. Unfortunately, that number continues to increase. Every day, 5,000 more children in the world become orphans due to poverty, AIDS, death, or abandonment. And every 2.2 seconds, an orphan ages out of an existing orphanage – entering a harsh world without the support and direction most children are provided.

Because of these sobering facts and the numerous studies that show traditional, institutional models of orphan care can be detrimental to the children they seek to serve, The Hope Effect is seeking to pioneer new short-term and long-term orphan care solutions.

In the short term, we aim to build family-style homes structured to provide immediate care for children in crisis. Each home will be filled with loving parents who are trained and ready to embrace each child that comes into their home. Through our supporting network of professional doctors, psychologists, counselors, and specialists, we will provide the best care possible for these children from hard places. Our director will serve both the children and the parents, ensuring exceptional care is being offered and all local and state requirements are being met.

As powerful as this family-style model can be, it is limited by the number of houses available and the amount of resources we can raise. Therefore, long-term solutions will need to be addressed. By building relationships with city and regional leadership in government, churches, and other like-minded NGOs (nongovernmental organizations), we champion the need for orphan care on a local level. Our strategy is to partner together to address the systemic issues that lead to the need for orphan care while empowering others to see the value in helping every child find a family. While each context is unique, these long-term solutions will include strategies for poverty alleviation, education, foster care, and adoption.

We have always dreamt big for The Hope Effect. The challenges are vast, but we are convinced the work is necessary and definitely worth it. But we cannot do this alone. We need the support of local government to change laws where necessary. We need church leadership to tap into the spiritual heart of each community. And we need people like you to invest in this new model of caring for some of the most vulnerable children in the world.

Please consider a one-time donation or a monthly contribution to make a difference in the lives of orphans around the world and help this innovative dream become a revolutionary reality.

Together, we can change how the world cares for orphans.

This is the fifth edition in our blog series surrounding The Hope Effect’s values, based on six orphan care standards: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation.

Sustainability

Through local leadership, alumni involvement, and efficiency, we build self-sustaining orphan care models.

At The Hope Effect, our mission is to change how the world cares for orphans. And we believe that we – with your partnership – can do just that! But with an estimated 140 million orphans worldwide, we can’t do it alone. A single organization simply doesn’t have the manpower or financial resources to continue the everyday operation of family-style orphan care homes in countries all over the world.

That’s why local community involvement is so important. It’s essential to have community support as we build efficient, self-sustaining orphan care models that can continue once The Hope Effect isn’t running the day-to-day operations.

Currently, The Hope Effect is working on projects in three locations: two cities in Honduras, and San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. We are working hard to provide family-style care to orphans in those cities, but our strategy is to involve the local community in the effort to solve their orphan care problems.

We want The Hope Effect to be the catalyst – igniting a spark that the local community can fan into a flame. We may get things started by educating governments and organizations about family-style solutions and showing them how to implement that type of care. But once the homes are up and running, the community needs to take ownership of and sustain these orphan care solutions (with continuing guidance and support from us, of course).

That’s why we’ve been spending so much time building relationships with the government and other organizations and individuals in San Luis. Not only do we need government approval to actually provide family-style care to orphans in that city, but we need the support and involvement of the local community. With our international office in San Luis and our Efecto Esperanza staff who reside in that city, we’ve been working to establish the necessary structure for sustainability. And our goal is to eventually partner with local businesses and community members to raise funds within Mexico, rather than relying solely on the support from our donors in other countries.

Ultimately, sustainability requires local involvement. We look forward to continuing and deepening our partnership with local governments and communities as we seek to change how the world cares for orphans.

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There’s only one value left! Next month, we’ll explore our final value…innovation!

 
This is the fourth edition in our blog series surrounding The Hope Effect’s values, based on six orphan care standards: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation.

Preparation

We value education, self-discipline, work ethic, and healthcare as the foundation for kids to succeed in life.
 
Growing up, I was fortunate to be part of a large family. There were 6 children – 5 girls and me. My parents worked tirelessly to provide a roof over our heads in a quiet neighborhood with a good school just over the back fence. We were encouraged to work hard, participate in sports, excel in school, be independent, and contribute to our local community.

As I reflect on my childhood, I’m amazed by what my parents accomplished. Although we had a big family, my parents treated each of us uniquely, as if we were the only child. In my younger years, I was pigeon-toed. My feet turned in, causing me to walk funny and limiting my mobility. I still remember the long drive to the specialty doctor and shoe store to get me outfitted with braces and undergo physical therapy.

Throughout that process, I never heard my father complain about the cost of the treatment or the time it took away from his day. Instead, he would constantly tell me that I could do anything I set my mind to. In so doing, he turned those negative circumstances into positive teaching opportunities – preparing me for my future.

My dad is not one for sharing emotions, but I often wonder how he felt when I signed the papers accepting my Division 1 scholarship for cross country. I may have been born pigeon-toed, but my parents must have known I was also born to run. Without their efforts, who knows what my life would be like today.

Like many of us, I took for granted most of what I had as a child: loving parents, a supportive family, nutritious food, a quality education, and access to health care. We often overlook the significance of these blessings – especially when they have been ours since birth. But if you are a parent, you know the sacrifices and the intentional choices you make every day to mold, develop, and steer your children into the best possible future.

When a child is orphaned, this part of parenting often is lost. If an orphaned child is lucky, their basic needs will be met. But very few will reap the benefits that come from being in a family with parents who are doing everything they can to prepare them for the future.

That’s why, at The Hope Effect, we structure our care like a family so we can lovingly prepare children who enter our care with the same amount of effort each of us take with our own children. We seek to provide the best education possible, instill self-discipline and a strong work ethic, secure the right healthcare, and model the importance of living life in service to others. These are the foundational blessings needed to prepare children to thrive in the future – and we seek to provide all of them for every child.

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There are only two values left! Be on the lookout for our next blog post, which will dive deeper into our value of Innovation!

 
This is the third edition in our blog series surrounding The Hope Effect’s values, based on six orphan care standards: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation.

Spirituality

We affirm all people are spiritual beings loved by a Creator who desires intimate involvement in their lives.

The numbers are overwhelming – there are an estimated 140 million orphans worldwide. Even more alarming is that this figure only accounts for orphans living in homes…it doesn’t include the millions of children living on the streets, trafficked, or forced into combat.

These orphans are invisible to many. But while they might be overlooked by the world, we at The Hope Effect are confident God values each and every child and knows them by name.

From the earliest writing in the Judeo-Christian tradition, we discover the Creator’s concern and love for the orphan. Repeatedly in these ancient texts, people of faith are called to reflect that love and prioritize caring for the orphan. True and faultless religion, we are told, is found in practical love and care for these vulnerable children.

In addition, we desire to treat every child in our care as if they were our own. We are committed to nurturing the whole child – the body, the mind, and the spirit. Therefore, we want children to know they are valued and loved by God and by others. There is a purpose and a hope for their future…no matter what hand they were dealt.

One of the most notable characters in the Scriptures embodies this hope. Moses – the great leader of the Jews – was orphaned by his loving mother because of an oppressive government. Despite this, Moses grew up in an adoptive family and was ultimately empowered by God to help millions of people find freedom from the very tyranny that broke his family apart.

We envision the same greatness for the children in our care that God envisioned for Moses. These children are not forgotten by God, and they should not be overlooked by us either.

If you’d like to make a difference in the lives of children around the world, please consider partnering with The Hope Effect by clicking the link below. Together, we can change how the world cares for orphans!

Support The Hope Effect!

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Be on the lookout for future blog posts featuring our remaining three values. Our next post will take a closer look at the value of preparation…stay tuned!

This is the second edition in our blog series surrounding The Hope Effect’s values, based on six orphan care standards: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation. To learn more about our first value – family – click here.

Excellence

We carry out our work with the highest level of excellence, treating each child as if he or she is our own.

UNICEF estimates there are 140 million orphans worldwide, 15 million of which have lost both parents. That doesn’t include the estimated 8 million invisible children living on the streets, trafficked, or forced into combat.

With staggering numbers like these, it’s no wonder that orphans are often overlooked. While their basic needs may be met, many of these children don’t have advocates – there is nobody fighting to get them what they deserve. And they deserve the best.

As a parent, I want the best for my children. I don’t just want my kids to attend an “okay” school; I want them to attend the best school we can provide for them. When my children get sick, I don’t take them to a “pretty good” doctor; I seek out the best medical care and treatment possible.

We adopted my youngest daughter from Thailand when she was 12 years old. She was diagnosed with a speech disorder while she was an orphan, but nobody went out of their way to help her overcome it. Now that she is a part of our family, we are fighting to get her the care and assistance she needs. We pushed her school to do therapy and hired an outside tutor work with her every week. She is our daughter, and we won’t settle for “good enough.” She deserves the best we can provide.

All children deserve our best – orphan or not. That’s why The Hope Effect is committed to the highest level of excellence, treating each child as if he or she is our own. When children come to The Hope Effect, we will seek to put them in the best schools possible; provide quality nutrition; and arrange for excellent healthcare, dental care and psychological care.

We will not use “good enough” as our standard, because that’s not good enough for our own children. To change how the world cares for orphans, we will strive for excellence.

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Be on the lookout for future blog posts featuring our remaining values. Next up is the value of spirituality…stay tuned!

From the earliest days of The Hope Effect, we have had conversations surrounding the approach we will pursue for our family-style homes. We searched for words or phrases that would help clarify our intentions and set the bar high for our future. As is often the case with brainstorming sessions, the list grew long and complicated. However, one simple question seemed to sum up our conversation: If any of our children were being cared for at one of our homes, would we be pleased with the care they are receiving? 

The answer to that question prompted six orphan care standards that would eventually define our values: 1) Family, 2) Excellence, 3) Spirituality, 4) Preparation, 5) Sustainability, and 6) Innovation. Over the next several weeks, we will expand on each standard in greater detail. First, we’ll explore the importance of family.

Family

Because family is the most effective model for development, we seek to mimic the family in all strategies. Traditional orphan care solutions around the world too often function like “institutions” rather than “the family unit.” In order to maximize budgets and space, institutional care focuses on meeting basic physical needs.

To be fair, they do this very well. While not the best solution, orphanages have helped children get off the streets, out of dangerous situations, and onto a better path for the future. And our recent experiences partnering with the DIF (Mexico’s version of CPS) in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico, have proven that orphanage directors, staff members, and supporters truly care about the children.

However, in recent years, studies have shown the lifelong negative effects on children who are reared in an institutional setting. Therefore, given the choice, I can’t imagine many parents who would want their children to only have their basic needs met in a larger institutional care situation.

If my wife and I, God forbid, could no longer care for our kids, we would of course want their basic needs met. But more than that, we would want them to be part of a family! We would want our kids to be raised by people who would love them as they would their biological children. We would want our kids to feel safe and secure. And we would hope our children would be valued for their uniqueness and individuality, while receiving help to develop their strengths and overcome challenges.

At The Hope Effect, we are seeking to change the way the world cares for orphans by offering children the opportunity to be part of a family. Rather than constructing large buildings that house a high ratio of children to caregivers, our goal is to provide smaller, single-family homes. Each home will house six to eight children and two parents. In this way, we mimic the family in all orphan care solutions. Not only is this what we would want for our children, but a family is what every child needs and deserves.

If you’d like to help change the way the world cares for orphans, we would love to partner with you! To make a difference in the lives of children around the world, click here support The Hope Effect!

Thank you for your partnership and generosity. Be on the lookout for future blog posts featuring the remaining values of The Hope Effect!

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An earlier version of this post was published in August 2016.