COVID-19 UPDATES FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

April 23, 2020

My family and I have been obsessed with Mr. Rogers lately. Maybe we’re just searching for a positive voice in the midst of all the negativity that’s online right now, or maybe it’s the current age of our kids (18 months and 11 years old). Either way, one of Fred’s quotes has me thinking about what we’re learning during our current season and what we’re looking forward to.

There is no denying that the season we’re in has been difficult. It has been hard on you, your business, me, and One 17. The beautiful thing about hardship, though, is that it has a way of reminding you what really matters. For us, it’s a reminder that we’re only as strong as the people who make up our organization. More specifically, we are especially thankful for our recurring donors and international staff during this season.

When speaking engagements and fundraising events are postponed and cancelled, you quickly realize how valuable those who are already investing on a regular basis are to your organization. 97% of our recurring donors have been able to remain committed! We are so thankful for that and could not make hope through education happen without you!

In a similar vein, our international staff is the lifeblood of our organization. They’re the boots-on-the-ground, culturally-connected, servant-hearted heroes of our work. Their leadership and insight into culture during the pandemic has been invaluable. We literally could not do our work without them.

As hard as this season has been, I know we’ll look back at it and be thankful for what we’ve learned and how we’ve been challenged to grow. As of now, school is still closed in Haiti and Cambodia, but we’re adapting on a weekly basis and preparing for a new winning streak!

If Mr. Rogers' positivity speaks to you in the same way it has to our family, feel free to share this downloadable photo on your social media feeds to spread a message of hope!

Stay hopeful, healthy, and smart!

Curtis

April 7, 2020

Check out our Curtis’ Quarterly Update for a COVID-19 and organizational update.

March 20, 2020

Our international staff teams consist of some of the hardest working people I know. Their hearts beat for the left behind and they’re deeply committed to our mission.

In Haiti, both of our campuses will close indefinitely after school ends today due to the first COVID-19 cases being reported in Haiti yesterday. Our Haitian staff is hard at work creating plans and developing strategies for continuing to feed and provide care to our students.

In Cambodia, school has been closed for almost one week, but the staff at New Hope is still working (and following Cambodia’s social distancing guidelines). They’re using this time to prepare lesson plans and organize supplies. When school opens back up, they’ll be ready to pick up where we left off!

As an organization, we’re committed to supporting our international staff spiritually, emotionally, and financially during this difficult season. You, our faithful donors, volunteers, and prayer warriors, make this possible. Thank you for remaining faithful in giving and serving!

Stay hopeful, healthy, and smart!

Curtis

March 16, 2020

As the Coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, our staff is committed to keeping our students and communities safe. The events of the past few weeks have been unprecedented, but we are continuing to press in and pray over how to safely pursue hope through education in the midst of the growing situation.

In Cambodia, school has been shut-down indefinitely across the nation. We are celebrating that just last month, students received their own copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible in their own language to keep at home. Although they are not meeting in classrooms, they still have an opportunity to explore the hope that Jesus brings.

In Haiti, the government has not yet shut down schools but we are preparing to take this measure to keep our students, staff, and families safe. We have an opportunity to be a leader on the front lines of this situation and we plan to use the impact and influence God has given us to model best practices for other schools in our area.

Stateside, we are adhering to CDC recommendations to keep our community safe. We would still love to meet with donors and volunteers, and for the foreseeable future we will be conducting all meetings online. Feel free to email us if you have any questions. 

As we navigate through this situation together, join us in praying for health, safety, and peace for our staff and students across the globe.

Stay hopeful, healthy, and smart!

Curtis