Highlights from 2013 at NPH USA!

2013 has been another wonderful year at NPH USA. Our family of dedicated supporters and happy, healthy children continues to grow and flourish. Thank you to all of our friends who have supported our cause to nurture this family over the year. 

Check out some highlights from each of the regions from the previous year; highlights YOU helped to make possible! 

Northwest
In the Northwest region we welcomed the third annual cohort of six young leaders from NPH for a year-long program of study and leadership development. We also celebrated 25 years in the Northwest, having raised over $11 million from more than 10,000 supporters all across our region! As part of our Gala celebration, we gave Silver Circle awards to our closest and most generous supporters from the past 25 years and welcomed guest speaker, former NPH Mexico student, Aurora Zacarias. We had 10 volunteers from the Northwest who lived and served at one of the NPH homes this past year, while we also mourned the passing of key supporters, including Sr. Virginia McMonagle, who was a committed supporter of NPH in Haiti, and Fr. Lee Hightower, who sponsored 6 children in Mexico and Haiti, and left a significant legacy gift of more than $80,000 to NPH. Our Associate Board for young professionals ended its second year with a bang, raising more than $40,000 for NPH and sponsoring a variety of fun and successful events and campaigns in Seattle and Portland. To top it all off, we raised more than $1.25 million from NW supporters, the most ever and 70% more than we had raised just four years ago! We also welcomed more than 100 new sponsors in our region.

Southwest
In the Southwest region we were all thrilled to have 315 new sponsorships this past year! We hosted four mission trips to Mexico and Guatemala with teens and young adults to our NPH homes abroad. We welcomed 16 children from the home in Nicaragua to the States. They performed at fiestas, liturgies and our Gala in both Arizona and California. In Arizona the children were at fiestas at Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Scottsdale and Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Glendale. The students from the Diocese of Phoenix schools participated in the 14th Annual Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos Mass and Cultural Exchange Day. The culmination of the events in Arizona was our Faces of Hope Gala that raised $175,000! For the first time, we visited Palmdale, California and were hosted by two schools in the Palmdale area where many new relationships were formed. We then moved onto to Danville, California where the community of St. Isidore’s and Father Frank’s kids hosted us for the seventh year. The children performed at a school mass, a fiesta and the weekend masses and at De La Salle High School. This year we also had several third party fundraisers where our supporters hosted events to support NPH USA, including a Crazy Hat Party, a dinner, and a Men’s Poker Night. Our first annual golf tournament was held in September and was very well attended raising $16,000 to support the children. We also continued our wonderful partnership with the Brophy school that has been sponsoring children for over a decade, and we were so pleased to welcome the new Home Director at NPH Guatemala this past year, a former Brophy student!  

Upper Midwest

2013 was a wonderful year for the Upper Midwest region. The annual Celebrando a los Ninos Gala was yet again a great success. We raised more money and had more attendees than any previous year and had a great program with fantastic speakers!  In addition, the Gala had a new $100,000 fund-a-need match that helped tremendously with our fundraising efforts. Our region's volunteer power was enormous this past year. The University of St. Thomas has many students who have made NPH USA their mission and their help and support has been phenomenal. More sponsors from the UPM were able to meet their sponsored NPH kids by joining one of the trips to our various homes this past year as well. Our region was proud to host trips to Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and El Salvador in 2013!

Midwest
Throughout 2013 the Midwest Young Professionals Board, which was launched in February with a simple informational gathering, has truly flourished. Beginning with a group of just 20, fast forward to December – the YP Board now has a Chair and other leadership positions, various involved committee members, and numerous applicants for board membership consideration for 2014. Ashley Spataro, a child sponsor and capable and experienced fundraiser, has hit the ground running as the very first Midwest Young Professionals Board Chair. With her enthusiasm and leadership, the YP Board has hosted a series of networking happy hours called “Cheers for Children”, a successful bar crawl throughout Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, a pumpkin carving party with pequeños from NPH El Salvador, and most recently a holiday gathering that raised over $5,000 in donations! 2013 was a wonderful year for Midwest child sponsorship with a total of 269 new godparents joining the NPH family – the highest number of new sponsors in one year that the Midwest has ever seen! We ran five mission trips to various NPH homes, giving several sponsors the opportunity to meet their ajihados for the first time. We also had several amazing events in the Midwest this past year. In August we gathered for our first annual Football Legends Classic, where 19 football legends, including NFL Hall of Famers and former Chicago Bears players, teamed up with our supporters for a great day of golf and fundraising making over $173,000 to support NPH! A few weeks later we hosted our annual Gala, where attendees heard the story of Merlin Antunez, one of the first pequeños at NPH Honduras, participated in raffle games and a live auction, danced the night away, and helped raise over $145,000 for the pequeños. The Gala also honored the region’s first Unsung Hero Award recipients: Chris Ambroso, Scott and Mary Lane, and Ellie O’Connor were all recognized for their contributions for the children of NPH. In October, five individuals ran the Bank of America Chicago Marathon with Team NPH USA. These dedicated individuals gave back to NPH with 26.2 miles and raised over $17,000. The year ended with 10 children from NPH El Salvador visiting Chicagoland for the annual Pequeño Tour. The children were hosted by parishioners from Holy Cross in Batavia, IL, and they visited donors and sponsors all over the Chicago area. 

Mid-Atlantic/Northeast
The Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region would like to thank each and every one of our loyal donors, incredible sponsors, dedicated volunteers, and passionate friends who joined our team to go above and beyond for the children of NPH in 2013. We are honored and privileged to announce that our region raised $1.8 million last year in unrestricted funding to help support the basic needs of the 3,300 children in our homes! The amazing generosity of the Flatley Foundation, which made a $1 million gift, and also is matching 1:1 the more than $800,000 we raised, will bring us to an astounding total of approximately $2.6 million! In addition, our donors have helped us to obtain 140 new child sponsorships, welcome 905 new donors, and partner with Puma in donating over 700 soccer balls, cleats, sneakers, and mixed products to our homes. We also wish to send a special thank you to our new and current international volunteers who are at the NPH homes giving a year or more of their time for our children. 

Southeast
2013 was an incredible year for the Southeast region. In March, we celebrated our fabulous Equestrian event, with scores of people turning up to support our special needs programs in Haiti, raising over $20,000. Our annual Faces of Hope luncheon brought together almost 300 people, with our largest child sponsorship sign up to date, numbering 25 new godparents. NPH Mexico National Director, Rafael Bermudez, spoke passionately about the impact sponsorship has on the children at our homes. NPH Haiti Pequeño, Billy Jean, brought his first-hand experience of growing up in our home in Kenscoff to a festive house party at the home of NPH USA SE Regional Board Member Tomas Hauff. Billy shared his powerful story of success and how NPH changed his life. He is now studying law in Port-au-Prince, so that he can bring legal counsel to less fortunate Haitians in his home country. World renowned Haitian photographer Carl Juste was on hand to talk about the outstanding work NPH is doing on the ground in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Check out an awesome article about it here!) The summer was smoking in Miami as we held our first collaborative yoga event with Equinox gyms, and had a packed class of yogis, raising thousands of dollars for the children of NPH. The end of the year brought a priceless gift; Fed Ex Latin America sponsored several scholarships for women studying business in Latin America. We were also listed as one of Miami’s preferred charities for the Holiday Season. Our family also got bigger, bringing on a new Regional Director, Leah Stern, and several new regional board members, Theresa Rice, Maria Shojaee, Dr. Ingrid Vesiliu Feltes, Dr. Robert Jacobson, and John Price. We are excited for 2014 when we will start the year off with a Haitian Shabbat dinner. Stay tuned for an August trip to our home in the Dominican Republic! 

Life-changing

After visiting their godchild at NPH El Salvador, great supporters Jan and Stu shared about their experience.

We had an outstanding and a life-changing experience. What they are doing at NPH in El Salvador is the handiwork of God. We met our godchild and got to be there for her Quinceañera, the 15 year old coming out party. We played with the little ones, had dinner with the University students, toured some of the country. Being with the group was great also, and spending time with Chuck and Frank (NPH USA staff). We plan on going again next year! We are also starting to plan an event for St. Thomas the Apostle some time in January or February. God Bless, Jan & Stu

I will never be whole again as part of me remains at Rancho Santa Fe...

The below post is written by wonderful friend and supporter, Jenna Bishop, who recently visited NPH Honduras. 

I'm not sure how a single trip can simultaneously blow my mind and break my heart, but my recent trip to Honduras accomplished just that. Traveling to NPH Honduras was eye-opening, challenging, incredible, and unforgettable. I will never be whole again as part of me remains at Rancho Santa Fe... 

Though I wouldn't call it a "vacation" (unless you traditionally spend part of vacation in a henhouse or shoveling bunny turds), I can say without a doubt that it was a meaningful getaway. Away from some modern luxuries, I discovered a different pace of life, was given new opportunities to experience joy, and witnessed what hard work really looks like. The staff did [and continues to do] so much with relatively so little, and yet they are raising beautifully strong children on a daily basis. Their overall work ethic was humbling to say the least, and the sense of family/community present on the ranch was equally awe-inspiring. NPH's dedication and commitment to children is almost tangible; what a gift that I was able to see it firsthand.

Meeting Father Rick Frechette

Below is a post from Cheyenne, a student from Random Everglades School in South Florida.

(Cheyenne is pictured second over from the left.)

The man, the myth, the living legend, Father Rick Frechette, had been a mystery man for months. At the end of my junior year, me and a group of friends decided that we truly wanted to make an impact in our community. Our goal was to convince our school, Ransom Everglades School, to launch a school-wide global initiative. We planned to do this by adopting an orphanage located in Kenscoff, Haiti. The global initiative is about more than providing supplies collected during a drive or check sent from funds raised at bake sales - it is about a sustainable partnership between Ransom Everglades School and St. Helene orphanage and providing resources through campus-wide engagement. The final step in establishing the Ransom Everglades Haiti Initiative proved to be the most difficult; meeting the man who runs the St. Helene orphanage we planned to adopt, Father Rick.

When I first came in contact with Father Rick through email he expressed his gratitude but explained that traveling for him was difficult and often short noticed. I quickly realized that Father Rick did not just run the orphanage he also got his hands dirty with the daily mundane tasks of the orphanage. Although I wanted to meet with Father Rick and discuss the Haiti Initiative in detail that meant pulling him away from the children I wanted to help. We proceeded with the hopes of meeting him down the line.

Ransom Everglades School launched its first initiative and was able to raise over 750 sheets between both the lower and upper campuses. It was shortly after the first container of sheets shipped that I received an email from Father Rick stating that he planned to be in Miami. I was more than thrilled about the possibility of meeting the man I had only been able to view on video. On December 3rd, I had the pleasure of meeting Father Rick. During his school-wide address he stated that the difference between the children in Haiti and the students at Ransom Everglades was simply the structures of our lives were different. Father Rick, in less than 10 words, shed light on the need for our initiative.

One of the main principals of the Ransom Everglades School is to give to the community more than you have received from it. St. Helene and Ransom Everglades Schools are hundreds of miles apart and we share a similar commitment to community. Just as Ransom alum often come full circle to give back to the institution that gave them so much, children from St. Helene often return to the orphanage to help and contribute to the program that gave them so much.

Having the opportunity to meet Father Rick was truly remarkable. Father Rick has such a passion for his life’s work. Even in the face of disaster and peril, his spirit is one of resilience. His visit today has inspired me and the other members of the Haiti Initiative Committee to do the work that Father Rick so desperately needs help with. This marks the beginning of true sustainable partnership between Ransom Everglades and Father Rick that will contribute to his amazing legacy.

Global Grandmothers Supports NPH USA!

Below is a wonderful letter from our friends over at Global Grandmothers letting their members know about our work. Check it out! Thank you for the support GG!

Dear Friend,

Today we want to introduce you to NPH USA, the newest GG-recommended charity. NPH USA, previously called Friends of the Orphans, supports the programs of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH). We think you'll agree that supporting NPH USA is a perfect way to get Thanksgiving off to a running start.

Keep Their Hope Alive

Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Our Little Brothers and Sisters) provides a home for 3,342 abandoned and disadvantaged children in 9 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean - Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru.

Each home has a clinic, a school, a workshop (carpentry or welding), and a garden. Since its beginning in 1954, NPH has raised more than 17,000 children. Miguel Venegas, raised at NPH Mexico, is now Executive Director of NPH International.

We were especially drawn to NPH USA because: 
NPH instills the values of caring and sharing so that the children give back to their communities when they are grown. All children raised in NPH homes give a year of service back to the home when they graduate from high school or higher education. 
NPH encourages child sponsorship and organizes donor trips so sponsors can meet their sponsored children and visit the homes. This seems like a wonderful opportunity for linked giving with a grandchild - with the future possibility of visiting the child whom you had sponsored together. Click here to see how you and your grandchild can sponsor an NPH child.

Transform a child's life through sponsorship

When the GG Board met earlier this year for our annual review of charities, we thought NPH USA was a great choice for Global Grandmothers. Like all GG-recommended charities, NPH USA has earned a Charity Navigator 4-star rating, in addition to meeting other criteria.

Thank you for joining us to make the world a better place for kids!

Diana McDonough President Global Grandmothers

It has been a joy from the very beginning...

Below is a blog post by great supporter and godparent, Marcy Diehl, reflecting on some of the wonderful pequenos at NPH.

It has been a joy from the very beginning when I first began my relationship with little 10-year-old Dokendia at NPFS Haiti. The communication we share is truly special and even receiving her report card is fun. I try to write about 4 times a year. (I understand that the children really enjoy getting mail -- don't we all? - - so that has spurred me on!) I always remember to pick up lots of stickers and other bright flat objects to send off to her when I write, and they meet with much approval. I sent her pictures of my little dog and me once, and she was pleased about that as well. You have to be a big person to enjoy a picture of a little old lady and her tiny dog!

It was a real pleasure to meet Ronel, another pequeno, in San Diego last year. I think we provided him with his first public speaking engagement, but he was so poised that one would think he was a seasoned fundraiser! I did not think of him as a "fundraiser" but he turned into one because the audience could see where their donations were going and how successful they really were. He is so unassuming for all of his accomplishments, and it was a surprise to discover that he is a very talented artist along with being a medical student and just 30 years old! 

Shirts for NPH USA!

Alex Peck is a great supporter of NPH USA who has a strong passion for NPH Guatemala. Read more about the special way he's helping the children in our homes! 

My name is Alex Peck, owner and designer of clothing line called Peace Action Apparel, which helps raise money for deserving organizations around the world. When my older sister volunteered to move to Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) Guatemala location for a year I knew it was a special cause. Since my first visit, I was inspired to lead a project to support and spread the word of NPH.

I wanted the designs to be as organic as possible and therefore chose to use hand drawn sketches done by NPH community members themselves. In May 2013, the orphanage held a design contest in which two were chosen from hundreds of drawings to be used for the front designs. On the back is the official NPH logo of founder Fr. William Wasson holding hands with children of the community.

By purchasing a shirt, you donate all proceeds to the organization. But above all, when you choose to wear the shirt, you are potentially sparking the interest of others who may be willing to donate, volunteer, and even sponsor a child directly benefiting these children’s lives and allowing for a bright and inspiring future.

Check out the shirts here!

Artists: Diana Elizabeth Sánchez Camargo, Cesar Geovany Gonzalez Arriaza 
Fabric: 50% Polyester, 25% Cotton, 25% Rayon

Creative Writing Contest at NPH Honduras

Every year NPH Honduras celebrates the anniversary of Padre Wasson's passing with a special Mass followed by a weekend of celebration. This time of year is a special one as it encourages many at NPH Honduras to reflect about their home and the founder who made it possible. This year volunteer tutor and music teacher Douglas Orofino organized a creative writing contest to showcase the children's talents, and help them further reflect on what they value most about NPH. The following are three winning poems and stories from the contest, which due to their creativity and description, stood out among the rest.

"My Home" by Estefano, 10
From the prettiest rose, from the aroma that gives life, NPH gives life like a caring mother. A mother that treats each child with much love and care and who does not follow the wrong path, but walks to God as their end. Even though I was not born here this is my home because in all of my time here, I grew thankful to NPH for its grand love. When the moon goes away, the sun shines and there is something that only the Ranch has: security, love, and respect. And in addition, nourishment.

"NPH, my home" by Marleny, 11
Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos is my family and my refuge. Here they have given me love. For me, NPH is a change in my life. I want to thank my teachers, caregivers, and directors for creating a special life for me. Because of them, I am in this beautiful and kind home. Thanks to Padre Wasson, NPH is a family of many children where we have a beautiful heart full of happiness. I have grown in this loving family.
Love is a value that Padre Wasson always practiced. Padre Wasson loved every one of his children equally. He always had a thought that I know I will never forget, “I want my children to come to God by serving and loving others.” He also said, "Don't treat me like a stepfather. I want you to treat me like a real dad." At the end of this thought he invited us to imitate this idea and message of peace and glory that he sends to his sons and daughters.

"My inspiration, my home, NPH" by Viviana, 9
Of all that the Ranch has given me, what am I grateful for most? I am grateful for a nice school and a home to live. In school, I learn to write, read, subtract, add and multiply but as well, I am grateful for a home that they have given me NPH. I’m grateful because it feeds me and gives me strength to live well in my home and school.
When I lived outside NPH, I was sad because my mother and father did not take care of me well. They had to work every day, and then one night they brought me to a family called NPH. When I came I was with the youngest girls, which I liked because they cared for me well.
I remember when I arrived at NPH. I was young, but one day I grew up and passed to a new home with the girls. In this house, we are friends and play together all the time with games. They teach me to finish my homework and do it quickly!
I want to thank NPH for the things that have given me like shoes, socks, clothes, food. Especially, I want to thank Father Wasson for a house that he gave us to live in peace with my friends. I am grateful to God as well for the days that he has given me. For this, I always pray in church or in the morning, afternoon and night. Thanks to God and Padre Wasson, we can live in happiness and harmony. Thank you Padre Wasson!

International Volunteer Update from Amber Moore!

I cannot believe two months have already passed since I have been here. At the same time, I feel like I have been here much longer. School started up here in Kenscoff so the orphanage is much busier now and everyone is on a schedule. I work with two local teachers in the special needs classroom which is called L’arche de Noé (Noah’s ark). Its name comes from the fact there is a beautiful mural of Noah’s Ark right on the outside of the building that a previous volunteer painted.

Each month we have a teacher training down in Tabarre with all the teachers from the special needs school at Kay St. Germaine. We learn about the different disabilities that affect our students and methods to teach and engage them. We practice teaching lessons in front of each other and learn about creative ways to incorporate art into the day. There are themes for every month and for October we were will be focusing on water and geography!
Last month’s theme was tout bagay sou mwen (everything about me) and we had fun doing activities on the kid’s names, where they live, how old they are and what are their favorite foods, clothes and games. We do cooking with the older girls each week and try to incorporate many other life skills into the lessons.
A big part of my time here so far has included learning creole and getting adjusted to the culture. I have begun to speak the language more fluidly and feel more comfortable in daily Haitian life. I still have many blank stares and miscommunications but I am gaining confidence. Building relationships has also been a big part of the last couple of months. I have absolutely loved getting to know all the kids in Kay Christine as well as the other kids in the orphanage. During the weekends I have been playing sports or going on hikes with the kids. Overall the transition has been fairly smooth and things that at first seemed foreign are becoming more and more familiar to me. I thoroughly enjoy getting to spend so much time with the kids and am constantly learning new things about life here. I also have days that are challenging too, but I would not trade them to be anywhere else.

Thank you so much for helping with this great opportunity! I am excited about the next several months and how we can make this job in the long run help NPFS more.

Amber is one of the 2013 award recipients of the Hightower Kloos Legacy Fund. Learn more about the fund here!

International Volunteer Update from Avriel Burlot!

I’ve been in Haiti for exactly a month and what a month it has been. I feel really lucky that I was able to visit Haiti several times during my two years in the Dominican Republic because the adjustment period now was much easier than I expected. So far I have really enjoyed the job and the transition period is nearing its end so Denso and I can find a set routine very soon. However, in addition to the work, I have been keeping very busy too, getting to know all of the programs, children and really get my bearings in Haiti.

The Communications Team has been good so far. I am working closely with Denso as he transitions into the full-time Communications Officer. I know he will do a great job because he is organized and extremely motivated. However, I see where I am of use in creating a new structure and system as to how the job is done. Since I arrived, I have met everyone that you might have contact with as the Communications Officer. We have responded to many requests and emails together and even began developing several stories. Also, I have been able to take many pictures, which is probably one of the best parts of the job. Denso’s motivation to do the job well only enhances my motivation to be the bet support to him as possible.

Outside of the job I have been spending as much time as possible with the kids. I have been doing somewhat of a rotation in Tabbare between St. Damien, FWAL and Don Bosco. This has been great for my Creole as well as building trust and a relationship with the children. Also, any chance I get to go up to Kenscoff I take because one of the main objectives of the job is to put Kay Elen a bit more in the spotlight, not to mention the kids up there are the best. Great things are happening all around NPFS and I am just happy to be a part of it.

Thank you so much for helping with this great opportunity! I am excited about the next several months and how we can make this job in the long run help NPFS more.

Avriel is an award recipient of the 2013 Hightower Kloos Legacy Fund, which you can learn more about here!