2017 Highlights from NPH USA!

2017 was another wonderful year at NPH USA, where along with the generous support of our donors, sponsors, and volunteers, we were able to continue our work to break the cycle of poverty and truly transform the lives of children in need throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Below are some highlights from each regional branch of NPH USA! Thank you for being a part of this life-saving work!


Northwest Region

• In the NW, we graduated the sixth (and welcomed the seventh) annual cohort of 6 young leaders from NPH to the Northwest for a year-long program of study and leadership development.
• The NW Associate Board for young professionals sponsored a variety of fun and successful events in Seattle, including Carnaval for a Cause, Hunt for Hope, and a Trivia Night. AB members also sponsored fundraisers at their companies!
• Support of our events grew dramatically, including our third annual NPH USA Northwest Golf Classic, which nearly doubled in size, and our record-breaking Gala, which raised more than $400,000! In particular, we increased our corporate sponsorship significantly from past years.
• We welcomed 180 new child sponsors, and 21 Northwest donors contributed $5,000 each to provide a scholarship for a university student at NPH.
• We celebrated 8 successful years of leadership from Katie Hultquist as Regional Director and transitioned in new staff roles, with Ross Egge as Regional Director and Glory Visario stepping into new responsibilities as Development Manager!
• We raised more than $1.9 million in general funding to support our children and the work of NPH. Thank you to all!

Carnaval Fun


NW Golf Classic
 

Seattle Institute and I-Leap

 

Southwest Region

• In 2017 we had the most successful turnout we’ve ever had with our golf tournament, Holes Fore Hope! It was great spending the day with our wonderful donors playing a fun and charitable round of golf.
• In September we made it a goal of ours to start up an Associate Board in our region, and we got off to a great start! In the first three months we hosted a holiday party and an event at three Kendra Scott locations across Arizona, and were able to raise nearly $11,000! For 2018, we plan to raise more funds for NPH by hosting monthly events and expanding the size of our associate board.
• In the Fall we were thrilled to have the Pequenos from El Salvador here with us. We spent time in Danville, California and Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. We were able to see them perform at several events, and learned more about what life is like at Casa Sagrada Familia.
• In 2017 our team was able to grow our footprint in the Southwest region. We hosted events in Tucson, Texas, and Colorado, that we never had done before. We also continued to grow our presence in Northern California and locally in Arizona. By reaching out to these new areas we have been able to connect with long-time donors, former international volunteers, and new supporters to NPH!
• Each year we look forward to our Faces of Hope Dinner. We had an amazing turnout and our silent and live auctions were a huge success. Frank Donaghue and NPH Honduras National Director Stefan Feuerstein gave very inspiring speeches!

 

Frank Donaghue and supporters at Faces of Hope

The growing Associate Board

 

Midwest Region 

• The pequeños from NPH Nicaragua provided great music and folkloric dancing during their tour of the Chicago area this past spring. The group was hosted by families from Sts. Faith, Hope, and Charity Parish in Winnetka and Our Lady of the Woods Parish in Orland Park. We raised a little over $70,000 in revenue and opened up new sponsorships with an annualized value of roughly $11,000! Many thanks to our host families and local organizers. We couldn’t do it without you!
• The weather cooperated this year for our fifth annual golf outing featuring NFL Hall of Famers and other football greats from years past. Stately Biltmore Country Club in North Barrington was once again our beautiful and accommodating host for this event, and the event set a new record in terms of the amount that was raised!
• The historic and eclectic Hotel Allegro in Chicago’s Loop was the location for our annual Gala and After Dark events. For the fourth consecutive year, the NPH USA Midwest Region Associate Board hosted the always fun Gala post-party, aptly named After Dark.
• Thanks to the organizing and running efforts of Midwest Region Board member Chris Ambroso, Team NPH USA’s marathon runners raised $5,200 for the children of NPH!
• This year, the Midwest Region directed seven trips to NPH homes in Guatemala (three times), Honduras (twice), Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Participating on those trips were 159 people who were able to experience for themselves what life is like at an NPH home!

 

 

NFL legends and members of the golf outing committee

MW Gala

Midwest Region sponsors Colleen and Jeff Knupp visiting NPH Nicaragua in June

 

Upper Midwest Region

• Thanks to the generosity of benefactors, the Upper Midwest Region raised $2,165,000 in 2017!
• Our region’s Young Professional board hosted four successful fundraisers, and through these events, they raised $14,864 for the children of NPH! Congratulations and well done to this dedicated group of individuals.
• A shout out to a group of 15 youth for starting up a new youth ambassador group this past year in the Twin Cities and surrounding area who raised $2,016 collecting donations from friends, and hosting a scavenger hunt and a jingle bell run!
• Celebrando a los Niños Gala was yet again a successful event with over 400 attendees and raising over $378,000 to advance the mission of NPH PLUS an additional $100,000 matching gift!

Celebrando a los Niños

 

Young Professionals

New Youth Ambassador Group

 

Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region

• The Greater Boston Irish community came together once again to celebrate the 8th annual Irish Hearts for Orphans Benefit Dance that raised more than $160,000 for NPH USA in April! Multiple Irish bands provided entertainment, a Caribbean Cruise was raffled off, and there were amazing silent auction and raffle items.
• Eleven schools throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire opened their doors and hearts to the children of NPH Guatemala this fall during our 2017 Pequeño Tour. Also, four parish communities welcomed the NPH Guatemala pequenos into their Churches—including one brand new to NPH! Not only did parishioners host children, but the parishes combined for more than 100 new child sponsorships!
• Our NPH USA Duxbury Council threw their first house party fundraising event, Oysters for Orphans, which was a resounding success! Originally set to cut off tickets at 75, the demand was so high for this event that our hosts graciously allowed us to increase that cut-off to 90! In total, this event raised more than $25,000! Our hosts for the event, Ben and Victoria Lloyd, also helped lead a youth trip to the NPH Mexico home in June of 2017. The Duxbury community has truly embraced NPH USA and the future looks bright for this partnership!
• Our NPH USA Hingham Council threw their first annual Love without Limits Masquerade Ball at the South Shore Country Club in Hingham. Local band, The Catunes, rocked the house and got everyone out on the dance floor as they raised money and learned more about the mission of NPH USA. The event raised more than $50,000 and set a wonderful foundation for future events in Hingham!
• Twelve groups took trips to various NPH homes in 2017, including school and church groups! In total, 147 people from our region went on group trips. Thank you to St. Paul’s School in Hingham, the SMASH LifeTeen program out of Hanover/Norwell, B.C. High, Holy Family Parish in Duxbury, Northeast Catholic College, and St. Anselm’s College for running trips, and for all other travelers who choose to spend their time with the children of NPH!

Youth from Duxbury had a great time at NPH Mexico

Irish Hearts for Orphans Honorees Dr. James O’Connell, Steven & Deirdre Ginns, and Fr. Joe Raeke pose for a photo with event co-chair, Winnie Henry

Love without Limits Masquerade Ball

Pequenos from NPH Guatemala played soccer games with the students at schools they visited on the tour.

 

Southeast Region

• In early March 2017, a talented group of 12 Nicaraguan Pequeños in their late teens came to participate in activities in Miami. The Pequeños, who were hosted by families involved with NPH USA, toured museums, enjoyed a beach excursion, visited a family-oriented festival called Carnaval on the Mile and attended mass at Church of the Little Flower during their three-day visit!
• On the last evening of the Pequeños time in Miami, the Southeast Region Board held a celebration with a reception for 50 donors and new friends of NPH USA, featuring a wonderful program of traditional music and dance performed by all the Pequeños.
• In April, NPH USA and India Hicks Collection collaborated on a Great Shopping and Philanthropy event. Friends of NPH USA were invited to shop the Collection to benefit the children of NPH, where 40% of the total sales were donated to support NPH homes!
• Spring Fling 2017 was held in May as a reception for NPH USA donors and supporters. It was a fun evening of food, drink and a raffle. Along with networking among the attendees, a short program of wonderful stories about NPH homes was shared with the 40 guests.
• A premier dinner event was held in November at the home of a board member. It was a gathering of 22 invited guests, as well as a special visitor, Frank Donaghue, our very own President and Chief Executive Officer at NPH USA. The focus of the evening conversation was the NPH University Scholarship Program that provides financial help for over 400 motivated university students and how companies and individuals could support university education for these NPH scholars!