Reflecting on 2020 as we move into 2021!

As we embark on a brand new year, it feels vitally important to reflect on all we have overcome in the past year. 2020 was a year of unprecedented challenges, but thanks to the support of our incredible staff, board members, volunteers, sponsors, and donors, we still managed to help thousands of children in need throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It is only through your dedication, generosity, and deep compassion that we were and remain able to continue our critical mission of raising children, transforming lives, and supporting families. So, let's take a moment to remember some of the highlights from the past year. 

• Though trips to visit the NPH homes were quickly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NPH USA decided to bring the homes to their supporters in another way. Amidst the global health crisis, families have found strength inside their homes. The NPH family is no different. The “NPH Open Home Series” was born and inspired by the open house theme; a popular event in the United States that is a friendly, casual time when people are invited to come into your home. Home evokes the image of Family – a core NPH principle. The live video series was an invitation for supporters, old and new, to come into the NPH world in more ways than one. To view episodes from the NPH Open Home Series this year, visit www.nphusa.org/openhome/.

• Change the World. Start with the Children., a new book detailing the life of Father William Wasson, his philosophy, and how he changed the world was published in April 2020! It includes words from Father Wasson himself, his four principles of successfully raising compassionate children, stories about those who were directly impacted by his unconditional love and support, and excerpts from the his original manuscript written in 1976. The book showcases his philosophies for raising the children in his NPH, and ALL proceeds from book sales were/will be donated to NPH USA! Learn more here.

• You know what they say, the music never stops! Even when times are difficult and stress levels are high, the NPH family finds a way to come together. Last June and July, NPH USA hosted a 14 day, virtual concert from their home to yours! The online event, called Summer Sounds for the Pequeños benefit the NPH mission as much as it did the ears of its’ viewers. Over 20 musical talents submitted original songs on behalf of raising support for the NPH mission. Musical performances included pequeños, hermanos mayors, and NPH USA supporters. 

• Following the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Frank Donaghue, the board of NPH USA interviewed a very strong pool of candidates, ultimately approving the selection of John Deinhart as our new President and Chief Executive Officer! John Deinhart is no stranger to NPH. He has been a friend and supporter of our organization since 2007. John has served on our National Board of Directors and is currently serving as Board President for the Father Wasson Legacy Endowment, and also is a member of the Midwest Region Board of Directors. He has generously supported our programs as a child sponsor and University Scholarship Sponsor. John’s commitment to our mission, deep knowledge of NPH, strong results and experience in leading teams and fundraising made him a perfect choice to lead our organization forward. You can learn more about John here!

• Typically, each fall, NPH USA hosts events across the United States to raise funds for the homes, health services and educational programs of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos. This year though, due to safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, we moved our events online and hosted a the first-ever single national virtual gala on October 17! “While we had concerns about moving from our traditional in-person events, our supporters stepped up to the plate and made an amazing difference tonight. They participated in remarkable numbers and gave enthusiastically.” stated John Deinhart, President and CEO of NPH USA. More than 1,100 people registered for the event, which was broadcast on the Auction Harmony platform, and we raised nearly $1.2 million was raised that very evening, including over $120,000 from an online auction! 

2019 Highlights from NPH USA!

2019 was another fantastic year at NPH USA where, thanks to the support of our dedicated staff, board members, volunteers, sponsors, and donors, there is much to celebrate! See highlights from each region, plus the St. Damien Pediatric Hospital Fund in Haiti, below!

Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region

• We are so grateful for the continued support of our individual volunteers and ambassadors throughout the MA-NE region, including our Youth Ambassadors group and Associate Board members. As participation of our YA group expands, we have more Youth Ambassadors traveling and creating clubs at their own schools. Growth of our South Shore Youth Ambassadors has flourished at Hingham High School, Milton Academy and Duxbury High School while the initiatives of our North Shore Youth Ambassadors has grown at Beverly High School and Landmark School. In 2019, we also welcomed eight new Associate Board members and celebrated our 5^th Annual Pints for Pequeños. The board also planned a new Trivia Night event.
• In the MA-NE region, we enjoyed visits from pequeños Victor (Dominican Republic) & Jean-Francois (Haiti) who helped us create new relationships in the community and shine light on the accomplishments of our pequeños and the University program.
• In 2019, thanks to the dedication of new Regional Board member Michelle Lavelle, we were able to expand our outreach into southern Connecticut.Thank you and welcome to the Board, Michelle!
• Our Hingham, Duxbury, and Wayland councils each worked tirelessly to plan fun and successful events in their communities this past year. We hosted our second annual Trivia Night in Wayland and our third annual Love Without Limits and Oysters for Orphans events! And our annual event, Irish Hearts, was held on April 7 - what made this year unique was that we celebrated its 10^th anniversary milestone. Irish Hearts began after the 2010 earthquake that devastated the small country of Haiti. In response to this disaster, the Irish community in Boston took notice, mobilized family, friends, and local business and held the first annual Irish Hearts. Now, in our 10^th year, we are so very proud of all we have accomplished.
• Our homes welcomed more travelers from the MA-NE region this year with fourteen Immersion trips traveling to NPH Honduras, NPH Guatemala, NPH Dominican Republic, and NPH Mexico. We are so grateful to our many new travelers this past year and to local schools and parishes including Rockport, Saint Paul School, BC High School, the Hingham Collaborative, and St. Joseph’s Church who have continued their annual trips. We are looking forward to even more growth in 2020!

Midwest Region

• The MW Region's 2019 NPH USA Football Legends Classic Golf Outing was a major success! As guests arrived, they were greeted by our volunteers and received a complimentary Weatherman Umbrella. These umbrellas were kindly donated to the event from our emcee Rick Reichmuth, the Chief Meteorologist on Fox News Channel and the CEO and founder of the Weatherman Umbrella. Also, he is a former international volunteer at the NPH Mexico home in Miacatlán back in the 1990s. As the event’s emcee, Rick started off by expressing the reward that came with spending a year of his life at NPH Mexico. Serving as our auctioneer, Rick’s efforts contributed to bringing in a total raised of over $290,000 -- the most ever raised at this event.
• Our Viva La Familia Gala was also a major success this past year. Many thanks go out to all who helped make it so successful this year, raising $238,000 (7% more than last year)! Our keynote speaker was the awesome Aurora Zacarias, an hermana mayor from NPH Mexico.  Aurora spoke to a spellbound audience about her difficult life growing up before NPH, the opportunities she took advantage of as a pequeña at NPH, the rewarding relationships she had with two of her sponsored godparents that continued long after she began her independent life, and her exciting professional career. At the event, John Iberle received the Midwest Region’s Corazón Award for his many years of volunteer leadership and generous philanthropy to the NPH mission.    
• This past year, the Midwest Region conducted ten trips to NPH homes in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador with a total of 225 participants. That’s three more trips and 67 more participants than 2018! Special thanks to Near North Montessori School in Chicago for organizing at least one trip (usually two) every year since 2011. We now have a trip for Near North Montessori alumni of past trips! We also conducted our very first women’s trip that focused on the Chicas Podersosas (powerful girls) program at NPH Honduras.

Upper Midwest Region

• The Upper Midwest Region's 13^th Annual Cinco de Mayo 5k run/walk moved to a great new location this year and raised over $18,800 for our special needs home at NPH Guatemala. We also launched our virtual 5K option allowing 49 people to participate from afar.
• 2019 marked the first Pequeño tour in recent history in Milwaukee. Students from Mexico were hosted by local families and participated in activities like touring the Brewers stadium and visiting the Mexican consulate. The trip wrapped up with an evening performance and fundraiser. In October, a supporter hosted a fundraiser for Haiti and St. Damien’s Pediatric Hospital in a private penthouse suite in Milwaukee with an impressive art collection. Another first took place in Milwaukee with the first annual MKE pub crawl this past year. More money was raised for NPH children and more locals heard about NPH’s work for the first time!
• Thanks to our generous supporters, our Celebrando a los Niños Gala had a record-breaking year raising over $500,000! Over $260,000 was raised during Fund-A-Need alone. Rose Schaffhausen received the Fr. William Wasson Humanitarian Award in recognition of over 35 years serving as the Minnesota Friends of the Orphans Executive Director and raising over 25 million for NPH. 
• Our UPMW Region's Young Professionals board continues to set high standards, surpassing their $33,000 fundraising goal for the year by almost $2,000! Their second annual masquerade fundraiser, Dance Your Masque Off, was another great success and was held at a local Latin brewery.
• Upper Midwest Region staff and volunteers traveled to 8 out of the 9 homes in 2019 with first-time trips to Bolivia and Peru in 2019! On our Peru vision trip, 10 people spent time with the children and also experienced the local culture with experiences like dining in a local home and visiting Machu Picchu. Many of the participants had never visited a NPH home until this trip and were touched by the warm welcome and excitement of the children. 

Northwest Region

• 2019 was an exciting year for events in the Northwest! Our Golf Classic hit a hole in one in May partnering with Cauze, a giving platform all about “unleashing your good" and local sports radio show “Cliff and Puck” on 950 AM KJR, hosted by former Seattle Seahawk Cliff Avril and local radio personality Jason Puckett, joined us live from the tournament. The annual NW Gala in November welcomed special guest speakers Miriam, Edwin, and Ana Karina Vallecillo-Betancourth, who grew up at NPH Honduras with their four other siblings. They inspired us with their story of joining the NPH family, feeling rooted in love and support, and shared their gratitude for the many opportunities to spread their wings towards their personal dreams and goals. 
• In July, we were thrilled to have 24 donors visit NPH Honduras with the NW office. It was a wonderful, immersive opportunity to meet the children and families we support. NW Regional Board Chair, Gail Taylor, was excited for her first visit to an NPH home and found joy in spending time with a group of first graders in their Montessori class. Edwin Vallecillo, the new NPH International Director of Medical Services, led a tour of the internal clinic and answered questions about the facilities and care provided. Two of our trip members who play for the University of Washington women’s soccer team spent many fun afternoons and evenings playing with the kids. And local supporters and former Seattle Institute host family members, Tom and Katherine Boysen, delivered a large number of useful power tools for the talleres/workshops at the home!
• We are very lucky to have welcomed our first NW Development Officer, Abbey Laninga, to NPH. Abbey is a brilliant addition to the Northwest team, bringing her fabulous energy, innovative ideas, and sheer determination to the table!
• We are so grateful to have continued financial support from Fundación MAPFRE and other local sponsors who make the Seattle Institute program possible. This year, we welcome Abigail (NPH Nicaragua), Alexis (NPH Guatemala), David (NPH Mexico), and Jazmín (NPH El Salvador) to the NW region! We look forward to seeing the students continue to work hard, share their stories, and develop their skills throughout the coming year.
• 2019 came to a close with a “Fireside Chat” in the NW region. It was a fun, casual evening where supporters and those who wanted to learn more about NPH joined us for a happy hour and Q&A session with NPH Honduras National Director and part-time NW resident, Stefan Feuerstein. 

Southwest Region

• In the SW, we were excited to host an awesome spring Pequeño Tour featuring NPH Nicaragua this year - and with a brand new partner on the Phoenix portion of the tour, Fountain of Life Church. The tour went on to California, in partnership with Father Frank’s Kids where St. Isadore’s Catholic Church hosted the pequeños for a very successful visit. Before departing for home, the kids enjoyed a day in San Francisco with a boat tour around the bay!
• We extend a very special thank you to each of our supporters who opened their homes this year by hosting an NPH House Party and allowing us to share our mission.  Whether it was California, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Arizona or New Mexico, the work and impact of NPH was shared with friends and family throughout the region to successfully inspire past donors, while also engaging new supporters.  
• Sparked by NPH's 65^th anniversary, what was previously the Faces of Hope Gala became a special 65^th Anniversary Celebration for our region. The event included a new venue, Seventh and Union, with the whole evening themed around a celebration as attendees came from all over the region to celebrate with our special guest and speaker Christopher Hoyt, as well as Reinhart Koehler.  The evening included a special musical performance by Miguel Polo from NPH DR, successfully raising nearly $210,000!
• In honor of the traditional Quinceanera celebrations, the Southwest Region hosted a trip to NPH Mexico with a group of 24 child sponsors and donors in 2019. The weekend was a wonderful celebration with so many festivities including a special ceremony where the girls wore beautiful gowns and completed a choreographed dance performance with the court. The weekend continued with quality time between godparents and their sponsored pequeños, sharing and catching up with each other. The trip ended with a visit to the Xochicalco pre-Columbian ruins where the group participated in a special hiking tour to learn the history of the site!
• Wrapping up the year, the SW team thanks the McCauley’s for hosting a special New Year’s Eve Fundraiser to benefit the Southwest Region in Northern California!  We’re expecting over 80 guests to join us as we kick off the New Year!

St. Damien Fund

• A major highlight of the SDPHF in 2019 was screening "The Land of High Mountains" in 7 cities and in the Napa Valley Film Festival in November, and the Palm Springs film festival in January!
• This past year, we also had many donors go above and beyond their annual giving on the 10th Anniversary of the St. Damien Fund and at this very difficult time of political unrest and need in Haiti. 
• We also initiated a new St. Damien Sustainers group and thank these individuals for providing monthly contributions that we can count on to support our work.
• The St. Damien Fund also had many supporters who celebrated their birthdays and anniversaries with generous donations and/or fundraisers for the St. Damien Pediatric Hospital Fund this past year, and we are incredibly grateful for their support!

2018 Highlights from NPH USA!

2018 was another wonderful year at NPH USA, and thanks to the support of our dedicated staff, board members, volunteers, sponsors, and donors, we have a lot to celebrate. Check out highlights from each region, as well as our national office volunteer program and St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti below!

Northwest Region

• 2018 marked the 30th anniversary of NPH in the Northwest region. While we celebrated all year long with our NW community, wrapping everything up with our Circle of Friends Gala was truly something special. Fr. Rick Frechette, from NPH Haiti, inspired us with his speech on the importance of responding to the needs of children with a spirit of “paz y bien” (peace and all good things) despite the challenges we face. We were also delighted to have a number of founding NW office members celebrate with us! 
• This past July, we were thrilled to have a group of 38 people fly south to NPH Honduras. The visit to Rancho Santa Fe was a wonderful immersion into life at the home, allowing us to see firsthand the extensive services and opportunities NPH provides. One day, a number of fleeting hours on the ball court were shared by the children, staff, and NW group. Tennis and soccer balls flying overhead, this play-day was a chance to meet new faces with the fun of bracelet-making, drawing, competitive sports, jump rope, music, and more! Merlin Antunez, who is a former Pequeño, introduced us to The Holy Family Surgery Center, where he is the head surgeon. The facility is impressive and very well-equipped to serve not only the NPH home, but the greater Honduran community. At the end of each day, we shared reflections of the moments we noticed or shared with the children and staff that we would take with us. We can’t wait to return!
• Our NW region is fortunate to be celebrating the exceptional leadership of a number of board members this year. Lee Grever was our 2018 Regional Board chair. He and his wife Annika hosted a Seattle Institute Student from the DR, where they first met and volunteered, while also leading and supporting our board throughout another exceptional year. Jessi Traughber and Paul Sandoval are the co-chairs of our Associate Board, who have led fearlessly and been motivating through a transition-year of the AB. We also celebrate Rachel Prusynski, a member of our Regional Board and founder/former member of the Associate Board, who was recognized by Seattle Met magazine with the Light A Fire 2018: Extraordinary Board Member award for her work and dedication to NPH and our work in Haiti!
• The Northwest welcomed a new Development Coordinator, Anna Masako Hanson, to the office this year. A recent graduate, she is thrilled to join not only a marvelous team, but also the entire NPH community, and we are thrilled to have her! Her energy, dedication, and passion are infectious to the whole team. She is happy to have met and now sponsor an amazing girl in Honduras during the summer immersion trip. 
• In August, with the continued financial support from the MAPFRE Foundation and other local partners, the NW welcomed an amazing 8th cohort of The Seattle Institute. We welcome Ricky (NPH DR), Moy (NPH Guatemala), Fany (NPH Honduras), Liamar (NPH Nicaragua), and Rafa (NPH Peru) to the NW region! We are looking forward to hearing their stories and seeing how their leadership skills develop over the course of the year.   

 

Southwest Region

• Nella Terra Cellars was an amazing partner to our SW team in 2018. We hosted 65 people at Una Noche Bajo Los Estrellas on October 4th, and pequeños from the NPH Mexico folkloric music and dance troupe performed. Nella Terra Cellars was so gracious with their space and libations. Supporters raised nearly $3,000 and 12 new godparents were welcomed into the NPH family that evening!
• This year with the hard work of volunteers, the Denver Professionals Board was created! They successfully hosted their first trivia night and the second annual Get Closer Colorado dinner, tripling the number of attendees, introducing 4 new godparents to the NPH family and raising over $7,500. If you are interested in attending our events or joining our board, please reach out to our office at infosw@nphusa.org.
• We had some amazing volunteers dedicate their time and energy to making our year a success. Special thanks to Debbie Whims, Cheryl Cook, Dolores Cuellar, and Tish Denney. Each of these women are incredibly dedicated to NPH and always welcome the opportunity to help.
• Many SW supporters invited us into their homes this year by hosting a NPH House Party! They sponsored the parties and invited their friends and family to learn more about NPH’s mission and child sponsorship program.
• Thank you to our amazingly supportive Tucson community who helped us raise over $50,000 and connected 8 children with new godparents. Thank you especially to St. Philips in the Hills Episcopal Church and the Consulado de México for their amazing partnerships.

Upper Midwest Region

• In 2018, the Upper Midwest Young Professionals Board hosted a new event raising over $18,000! It was a masquerade-style dance in downtown Minneapolis called Dance Your Masque Off! Donations from the event were used to sponsor a university student named Jameson from NPH El Salvador. Over 100 people attended, and this exciting event will now take place annually. Thank you to everyone who contributed!
• In May 2018, Serena Steele joined the Upper Midwest team as our Development Officer. Serena is a Michigan girl who loves to travel and spend time with her husband, Mark, and dog, Breslin. Serena is responsible for expanding our fundraising reach beyond the Twin Cities. In September 2018, we also welcomed Abby Saunders as our new Development Coordinator. She is also a Minnesota transplant, originally from Wisconsin and is getting married at the end of January! Abby will oversee the 5k Run/Walk, volunteer efforts, and child sponsorships. Congratulations to Natalie Hursey for her promotion to Development Manager. Natalie oversees the Young Professionals Board and growing our fundraising efforts in the region.
• One of our long-standing events, our annual Cinco de Mayo 5K Run/Walk was the most successful it’s been in the past 3 years! The event had over 200 participants, 12 corporate sponsors, 40 volunteers, and raised over $18,000 for NPH Mexico’s medical program. Congratulations to the 5k committee!
• An enormous thank you to ALL of our 2018 supporters who helped the Upper Midwest Region to raise $2.3 million! Your financial and volunteer efforts do not go unnoticed. A special thank you to two significant individuals whose financial support goes above and beyond what any words of gratitude can express - Wayne Dirkman and Helene Houle - your financial support, love and prayers for our NPH kids to reach their fullest potential is greatly appreciated.
• Branching out into Wisconsin, we had our first NPH event in the Eau Claire area at Modicum Brewery. Dr. Edwin and Steve O’Mahoney from NPH Honduras spoke and made personal visits to many Honduras connections in the Minnesota/Wisconsin area. In Iowa, Regional Board members, David and Ruth Miller hosted a fundraising house party at their home raising over $12,000. In Minnesota, Regional Board President, Vic Roers hosted a fundraising gathering “Taste of NPH” raising over $5,000.

 

 

Midwest Region

• Famous sportscaster and friend of NPH, Bob Costas, emceed the 2018 NPH USA Football Legends Classic in the Midwest Region that raised almost $240,000! The stately Biltmore Country Club in North Barrington, Illinois was the setting for this event and will be the location of our 2019 outing on August 12th!
• The region's first ever Viva La Familia Gala, with its exciting colorful and Latin vibes, raised more than $220,000 for the children of NPH. We rented out the entire space of Latinicity, a Latin-themed food hall in downtown Chicago’s Theatre District, and a good time was had by all. Local and national TV and radio personality, Lou Manfredini, was our emcee.
• All eight members of Team NPH USA crossed the finish line during the 2018 Chicago Marathon and raised more than $15,000 for our cause. This is the largest amount Team NPH USA has raised for the Chicago Marathon yet!
• Longtime friend of the NPH USA Midwest Region and former employee of NPH, Father Ron Hicks, became Bishop Ron Hicks on September 17. ¡Felicidades, Monseñor Ron! 
• The Midwest Region directed seven trips to NPH homes in which 158 people participated. Visiting an NPH home is a great way to see how your charitable contributions are being spent. It’s also a great way to learn and experience NPH before becoming a donor!

 

 

 

Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region

• Participation in our Youth Ambassadors and NPH Club programs in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region continues to grow and contribute to our overall community engagement and outreach goals. Our 2nd Annual Love Without Limits had over 30 youth volunteers. The Duxbury youth committee hosted a very successful ornament fundraiser. And our Youth Ambassadors have continued to share NPH with their family, friends, and communities through social media, events and fundraisers.
• Miguel Polo, a university student from NPH Dominican Republic received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and spent a few weeks this summer in Boston with us!
• It was a great year for events in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region. We hosted our first event in Rochester, NY and our 2nd annual Oysters for Orphans event in Duxbury, MA. Our Irish Hearts for Orphans Benefit Dance was also a success, and we cannot wait to celebrate the 10th anniversary in 2019!
• We are overjoyed from another successful Pequeño Tour and are confident our school and parish visits will lead to continuous NPH experiences, topping our 11 immersion trips and 182 visitors to NPH Guatemala and NPH Dominican Republic in 2018!
• This year we welcomed some new faces and announced staff promotions in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region. Casey Rector was hired as the new Development Coordinator. Elizabeth Caletka was promoted to Development Manager, and Tempie Thompson joined our team as the Regional Director!

 

Southeast Region

• The Southeast region’s annual event, Spring Fling 2018, was held in early June in Miami as a reception for NPH USA donors and new supporters, with special “apoyo” from the Dominican-American community in the Miami area. It was a fun evening of food and drink, with networking among the guests. There was also a short program featuring comments by Alfredo Benitez, an Hermano Mayor, and many heart-warming stories about NPH homes in the Dominican Republic and other countries.
• University student Zebastian Alzamora from Miami worked with his fraternity brothers on behalf of NPH USA at a student-supported, fundraising event on campus that focused on organizations involved in social issues. From October 25-26, 2018, a group of Drake Fraternity brothers at Austin College, in Sherman, Texas, manned the NPH USA booth to promote the mission and tell the story about the kids in all the NPH homes. The Drake Fraternity fundraising was a great success!

National Office Volunteer Program

• Translators volunteered 850 hours and translated 3,700 letters in our national office in 2018, and general volunteers volunteered 550 hours for a total of 1,440 hours!
• We were fortunate to collaborate with student translators and volunteers from the British International School of Chicago, South Loop and the Cross Country team from Malcolm X College in Chicago.
• In March last year, we mailed 3,500 report cards, and in October we mailed 3,000 report cards from the children to their sponsors!
• Alexandria Corriveau, a former International Volunteer, joined our team of volunteers at the national office as a Spanish translator after completing her year of service at NPH Honduras.
• On December 9th, 25 volunteers joined us as we prepared 7,000 Christmas cards to be mailed to sponsors!

 

 

St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Haiti

Tom Caruso, Financial Advisor, introduced the mission of St. Damien to his clients this past year in a great show of friend-raising for the cause! Renee DeVinck shared her nursing expertise in the Maternity Ward and ICU at St. Damien during two separate visits in 2018!  Angelo Rose, Lawyer and Musician, along with the Haiti’s Rain Committee he put together, hosted a private movie screening and benefit concert in his hometown of Rochester, NY to support our St. Damien Pediatric Hospital Fund! Will Agee is a filmmaker who helped build awareness about St. Damien with his documentary, The Land of High Mountains. Our medical partners of the St. Damien Collaborative lent their expertise for training and guidance and generously initiated fundraising efforts for the hospital. Our faithful church partners and committed friends who organize fundraising efforts year after year again helped support St. Damien. Thank you to St. Louis Church in Pittsford NY, St. Luke’s Church in Westborough MA, and the Friends of Haiti Committee in St. Helena, CA. Thanks to all our St. Damien supporters who provide so many deserving children with compassionate medical care and hope for a brighter future. You are a gift to the NPH St. Damien family!       THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO MADE 2018 ANOTHER PHENOMENAL YEAR AT NPH USA. It is only through your partnership and support that we can truly transform the lives of children in need. Help us continue to grow our family at NPH and reach even more children by making a donation to our mission today - there's no better way to celebrate!

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!