TOGETHER IN HOPE

JESSICA'S TABLE: TOGETHER IN HOPE WORKS IN THREE COMMUNITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES; UPPER JAVIER, BICOL, AND MALIS PROVIDING NUTRITIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, HEALTH SUPPORT AND LIVELIHOOD TRAINING. TOGETHER IN HOPE BEGAN WORKING IN MALIS IN 2008 ESTABLISHING THE JESSICA'S TABLE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED IN MEMORY OF JESSICA WRIGHT POTTINGER WHO PASSED PEACEFULLY FROM THIS LIFE INTO THE ARMS OF HEAVEN IN DECEMBER 2008. JESSICA LOVED SERVING LITTLE CHILDREN, AND SHE LIVED HER LIFE WITH THE OPENNESS AND ENTHUSIASM OF A CHILD EVEN IN LIFE'S DARKEST HOURS. MANY OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN LIVE CONTINUOUSLY IN THE DARK HOUR OF HUNGER AND HOPELESSNESS. JESSICA'S TABLE HAS BEEN CREATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF JESSICA TO FEED THE WORLD'S CHILDREN IN HER NAME.NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT: JESSICA'S TABLE IS RUNNING IN UPPER JAVIER, BICOL AND MALIS FEEDING OVER 900 CHILDREN EACH WEEK. THE FOOD IS BOUGHT AND COOKED BY LOCAL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO THEN PREPARE THE FOOD AND SERVE IT TO THE CHILDREN. THROUGH JESSICA'S TABLE, CHILDREN RECEIVE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS, AND THEIR HEALTH IS IMPROVED. TOGETHER IN HOPE SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE CHILDREN WITH HIGHLY HEALTHY FOOD THAT IS AFFORDABLE AND READILY AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT: CHILDREN AGES 4-16 ARE RECEIVING BASIC EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH TUTORIAL SUPPORT. LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AND TEACH THE CHILDREN ONCE A WEEK AND ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. IN 2010, THE GOVERNMENT PASSED AN ACT WHERE ALL CHILDREN ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND PRESCHOOL BEFORE THEY CAN BE ACCEPTED INTO THE LOCAL SCHOOLS. FOR MANY OF THE FAMILIES IN UPPER JAVIER AND BICOL, THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRESCHOOL. AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMMUNITIES, TOGETHER IN HOPE FACILITATED THE OPENING OF A PRESCHOOL IN THESE TWO COMMUNITIES. THE PRESCHOOLS ARE RUN BY LOCAL VOLUNTEER TEACHERS. THERE ARE OVER 100 CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOLS AND ONCE THEY FINISH PRESCHOOL THEY CAN NOW ATTEND THE LOCAL SCHOOLS.HEALTH SUPPORT: FOR ALMOST 90% OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN BICOL, MALIS AND UPPER JAVIER, THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO SEE A DOCTOR. MANY RELY ON TRADITIONAL METHODS TO TREAT ILLNESS WHICH ACTUALLY MAKE THE ILLNESS WORSE. TOGETHER IN HOPE BRINGS MEDICAL PERSONNEL FROM THE USA TO WORK WITH LOCAL FILIPINO MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE FREE HEALTH CARE IN EACH COMMUNITY UP TO TWICE A YEAR. TO DATE, OVER 2,000 ADULTS AND CHILDREN HAVE BEEN SEEN AND TREATED BY OUR DOCTORS AND DENTISTS. OUR LOCAL STAFF IS ALSO TEACHING PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE CLASSES EACH WEEK TO THE CHILDREN AND WOMEN LIVING IN EACH COMMUNITY. TOPICS INCLUDE HYGIENE AT HOME, AND PERSONAL HYGIENE, THROUGH THESE CLASSES THE SPREAD OF DISEASE HAS BEEN REDUCED.LIVELIHOOD TRAINING: A SEWING PROGRAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE WOMEN IN UPPER JAVIER AND BICOL. WOMEN ARE LEARNING TO SEW ITEMS SUCH AS DRESSES FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BAGS AND SCHOOL UNIFORMS. THE WOMEN ARE HOPING TO START THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESS WHERE THEY CAN SELL THE ITEMS AND USE THE MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM IS SELF SUSTAINABLE AS THE WOMEN MUST PAY A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE BACK INTO THE PROGRAM TO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SEWING MACHINES AND TO BUY MATERIALS.

DM 60TH HUMAN TRAFFICKING: TOGETHER IN HOPE HAS UNCOVERED PROBLEMS WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN AREAS OF THE PHILIPPINES WHERE IT WORKS. THAT PROBLEM EXTENDS TO FILIPINO AND OTHER IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS IN THE U.S., AS WELL AS U.S. CITIZENS. TOGETHER IN HOPE HAS ALSO BEEN ASKED TO HELP THE POOR AT RISK POPULATIONS THAT ARE BEING TRAFFICKED IN CAMBODIA AND MEXICO.THIS IS A PERSONAL EFFORT BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIANE MCGEHEE, TO RAISE FUNDS TO HELP FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING WITHIN THESE AT RISK POPULATIONS. FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING EXCELLENT WORK IN ADVOCATING FOR RESCUING AND RESTORING TRAFFICKED INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE AT RISK OF BEING TRAFFICKED.DAWN WALKING: TOGETHER IN HOPE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED TWO SMALL GRANTS TO DEVELOPE INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE, A WARNING SIGNS APP, AND EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM TO ASSIST IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THAT WORK IS IN PROGRESS UNDER THE TERMS OF EACH GRANT. THE NAME DAWN WALKING POINTS TO THE WORK OF HELPING VICTIMS OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND INTO THE LIGHT OF A RESTORED AND FREE LIFE.