Every child deserves a family.
Those five words make up a seemingly simple sentence. But it’s so much more than a phrase to me.
It is a belief that has led to a movement and a mission to change the way the world cares for orphans.
A movement that started here, with the Becoming Minimalist community, and has now grown to change countless lives, all around the world, through the love of a family.
The Hope Effect
In 2015, on this blog, I launched a nonprofit organization called The Hope Effect with the mission to change the way the world cares for orphans.
It was a big goal, but why dream small? With so many lives in this community freed up from the pursuit of material possessions, just think of the good we could bring into the world.
Immediately after announcing the nonprofit, I was overwhelmed by the support and passion from this community as we shared about the global problem we were trying to solve. And I have been continually amazed at the ongoing support from the Becoming Minimalist Community.
You see, millions of children around the world are growing up without the love of a family. The majority of those orphaned and vulnerable children are being cared for in large institutions, commonly referred to as orphanages.
Less than 1% of orphaned children will ever be adopted—so how we care for the remaining 99% matters.
Unfortunately, there is clear and compelling research on the damaging effects of traditional, institutional orphan care that is practiced in so many places around the world. Children who grow up in orphanages don’t receive the individual attention and care found within the structure of a family.
As a result, development is stunted and learning abilities are delayed or lost. And tragically, many children age out of orphanages only to face a future of crime, prostitution, or trafficking—children who grow up in institutional orphanages are 10X more likely to fall into sex work, 40X more likely to have criminal records, and 500X more likely to commit suicide!
The studies are clear—kids do best when they are raised in families. That’s why The Hope Effect is changing orphan care by providing innovative family care, which allows every child the opportunity to flourish and thrive. We believe every child deserves a family.
Over the last seven years, we’ve been pioneering and expanding our model of orphan care in several locations, including Mexico, Honduras, Thailand, and Cambodia. In the care of a family, children receive the individual attention and support they need, while also learning what it means to be part of a stable, loving family.
All across the globe, more kids are growing and thriving in family care. Children like Antonio*—the very first child placed into family care in the state of Sonora, Mexico—have hope for the future through the love of a family.
Just look at the work we’re accomplishing together.
Antonio’s Story
Antonio was born in July 2020 in Hermosillo, the capital city of Sonora. Sadly, he was immediately abandoned in the hospital. Moments after his birth, he was alone in the world, without the love of a family.
In most developing countries around the world, Antonio would have been taken by the authorities and processed into an orphanage, where he would live with other children and be cared for by a rotating staff of employees.
But thankfully, there was another option for Antonio… a better option.
Just a few months before Antonio was born, we had begun working in Sonora. In February 2020, we signed a contract with the Sonoran government, becoming the first nonprofit to receive government approval to provide family care in that location.
When Antonio was abandoned later that year, the government contacted our team in Hermosillo. At just 14 days old, Antonio was welcomed into the loving arms of a family. As the first child in the state of Sonora placed in family care, he never saw the inside of an orphanage.
For the last two years, we’ve watched Antonio grow up in a loving family. It’s been incredible to see him develop and thrive in a caring, supportive, and stable family environment.
Here you can see Antonio’s transformation with your own eyes:
What an incredible example of how the love of a family can change a life. And today, Giving Tuesday, you have a special opportunity to give hope to more orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.
Give Hope On Giving Tuesday
Today is Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity where people all over the world come together to give back and make a difference. If you want to change the lives of more children like Antonio, join us for Giving Tuesday.
Our goal is to raise $125,000 today to further expand family care in Latin America and Southeast Asia. If you partner with us, you will help more orphaned and vulnerable children, just like Antonio, find the families they need and deserve.
And today, your gift—and your impact—will be doubled. A generous team of supporters is matching every donation dollar for dollar, up to $62,500!
The Hope Effect is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your donation is tax-deductible within the U.S. If you have additional questions about The Hope Effect or our work, send us an email. We love to share our vision and passion for helping kids, and we’re always happy to chat with anyone who would like to learn more.
Thank you so much for supporting The Hope Effect over the last seven years. It is amazing to see all that we’ve accomplished together. We are changing the way the world cares for orphans…because every child deserves a family.
*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.
