North America / Caribbean
Northern Virginia Teens Aid Local Program for Trauma Victims
On April 6, 2014, the teenagers from the Northern Virginia Church of Christ (NVCOC) partnered with the Northern Virginia Chapter of HOPE worldwide to collect hundreds of toiletry items for the Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) Program for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (PSTT). Collected items, valued at more than $1300, included toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, razors, lotion, deodorant, hand sanitizer, tissues, toilet paper, body wash, soap, and mouthwash. Members of the NVCOC donated the items at the church service Sunday April 6th and the teen ministry organized the collection then dropped off the donations at the NVFS office later that week.
HOPE for the Homeless in Colorado Springs
Every week, volunteers from HOPE worldwide Colorado Springs Chapter, members of the Colorado Springs Christian Church gather in a local church partner’s kitchen to make about 200 chicken and rice burritos. As the volunteers enjoy each other’s company, they churn out the burritos in about an hour. Everyone learns the “tricks of the trade” and how to correctly fold and wrap the burritos to create a hot, portable meal for some of the homeless in Colorado Springs.HOPEww Houston Chapter: A Decade of Service to Prisoners and their Families
For more than 10 years, The Greater Houston Church, under the Houston Chapter of HOPE worldwide, has had the honor and privilege to serve the children of incarcerated parents and the children’s caregivers. We have served 2,000+ children with our love, gifts and Angel Tree celebrations. On July 2013, the HOPE worldwide Houston Chapter volunteers had the opportunity to go into various prisons to help Prison Fellowship Ministry in assisting the Inmate Parent signing process. Our volunteers have been trained by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in order to continue and strengthen their service.HOPEww Granite State Chapter Honors Foster Families
The apostle Paul wrote, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" -- Acts 20:35
2014 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Results Report
Wayne, PA – Disciples across the country have spoken with their hard work rather than just words to promote the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Volunteers throughout the U.S. took to the streets to help reduce deaths and injuries from home fires, our nation’s top disaster threat. They also helped neighbors prepare for natural disasters and served in other projects. More than 10,300 volunteers served over 130,000 people, logging 40,727 hours in 38 states at 203 service sites coordinated by HOPE worldwide Chapters, American Red Cross, partnering chapters and 10 organizations who were awarded sub-grants from HOPE worldwide through funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
ICOC Members Around the US Volunteer With HOPEww for MLK Day
Disciples from the International Churches of Christ around the United States set out on Saturday, January 18 to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service with HOPE worldwide. As in past years, HOPE worldwide teamed up with the American Red Cross for volunteers to spread the word through their cities about fire prevention.
NY and NJ Churches Honor MLK By Serving Hurricane Sandy Victims
"Resilient people do not allow adversity to drain their resolve; They find a way to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and keep going with a strong belief that things can and will get better." – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.On Saturday, January 18th, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., volunteers from the New York City Church of Christ, Central Jersey Church of Christ and the Shore Points Church will do their part to help those still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Sandy continue to move forward toward recovery. In the fourteen months since Sandy hit the east coast, volunteers from near and far have stepped up to operate shelters, feed the displaced, muck out homes and provide emotional support to those devastated by the storm. But there is still much work to be done in the hard-hit communities of New Jersey and New York and the HOPE worldwide Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program, funded by a generous grant from the American Red Cross, is actively addressing these physical and emotional needs.
Tornadoes Leave a Path of Destruction in the Midwest US
Letter from Dave Tomlinson, HOPE worldwide National Coordinator of Disaster Services:Brothers and sisters,
Yesterday, several tornadoes hit in and around ICOC congregations in Illinois.
HOPE ww Launches Programs for Communities Still Reeling from Sandy
BRICK, NEW JERSEY -- On the one-year anniversary of Super Storm Sandy, much of the physical, economic and emotional disarray still remains in Central New Jersey. Not only did the massive storm destroy scores of homes and disrupt thousands of lives, but its latent damage persists with no end in sight. In many neighborhoods, conditions are deteriorating at worst and stagnant at best. An estimated 20,000 New Jersey residents are still displaced and thousands more continue to live in severely damaged houses.