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Help your donation reach even further! Ask your employer about matching gifts.
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"I felt removed from poverty this severe but this has opened my eyes and made me understand that I need to take responsibility for helping to alleviate it in any small way I can."
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Did you know ? |
In Guatemala only 3 of 10 children graduate from sixth grade and only 1 of 20 enter high school.*
Guatemalan adults have an average of only 4.8 years of education.**
Our programs are making a significant difference in student retention rates; 91% of our students were promoted to the next grade in 2006, compared to the national average of 75%.
Sources:
*USAID
**World Bank
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"...I think I really thought that giving money to the problem was the solution. Now I realize that you need to empower people..."
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Get away...and take us along!
Motivational speaker and MN Vision Teamer Karla Heeter will be hosting a women's retreat in October and invited us to staff a booth to find new sponsors. Visit her site |
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"This trip brings the poor into focus as real people, who want the same things for their children and who have a lot to teach us."
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Shopping online? Use giveline!
We are now signed on with this charity focused search engine. Check it out! | |
"I was most amazed by the hope and positive attitude the people (involved) in the program have. In the face of extreme circumstances, they are ready to commit and work at making a better life for their family."
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Join a Vision Team! |
| Visit our Vision Team Calendars for team and individual openings to see when you might want to plan your next visit to Guatemala, or if you know others who would like the experience. We'd love to have you on site volunteering with us again!
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| Help us grow!
Inspire others you know to get involved by joining a team, sponsoring a student, or learning
more about our work. Why not pass along this eNews or send a link to
our website? | | |
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Prepared for anything |
 Larry Burmeister, a retired firefighter from CO and member of an April team, met with Antigua's volunteer firefighting squad to help identify and address their most pressing needs. They really appreciated his advice! |
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New Hope students take flight |
 MN team member Steve Anderson helped his team make lots of friends by teaching a New Hope class how to make paper airplanes. They also assisted in the after-school programs' efforts to reinforce critical thinking skills by playing Uno and Connect Four and designing an obstacle course at the end of the day to get the students moving.
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Healthy habits start young |
Members of June's CA and MN teams assisted our clinic staff by entertaining children while they waited in line at a Community Health Fair. The staff checked the teeth, height and weight of children in the nearby village of Santa Inés.
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Friendship is the same worldwide |
 Kids in Colorado and students at New Hope answered questions about what makes a good friend, how you should treat them and why they are important. After comparing answers, the kids found out no matter where you are from, friendship is the same. They also exchanged friendship bracelets so they don't forget! |
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Equipped for a new game |
 Members from March's IL team solicited a large donation for the New Hope soccer team including jerseys, balls, an air pump, whistles and cones. The kids wasted no time trying out the new equipment! |
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Inspiring words
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| To get her team excited about their trip, MN leader Georgia Docherty spoke at their faith community's weekend services and inspired more than $2,000 in donations by sharing her Common Hope experiences. |
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Oh what a night! |
Thank you to all former team members who joined us for our Noche de Colores celebration at the end of April. Many of you brought friends and family along for the big party and introduced them to our work. Many thanks. We'll see you at the next Noche! See more photos from the night. |
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A picture perfect event |
Carol Huttner's Twin Cities team returned ready to tell their story. They gathered over 40 people and walked them through their photos, sharing stories about their trip. They also made a gift of over $1,600 for us to use where needed most.
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New author tells a familiar story |
 Dean Vought's family made a special trip to Guatemala this winter and his granddaughter came back with stories to tell. In fact, nine year old Zoë recorded her visit to a family with Jaime, a Common Hope social worker, and had her story bound into a book! |
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Conversations over coffee and cake
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| Common Hope's Executive Director, Shari Blindt, recently returned from California where she was busy meeting new folks and reconnecting with longtime supporters. Three home parties and "friendraisers" were held on our behalf. Thank you, California supporters, for making these events possible and helping us spread the word about our work. |
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Let's ReZoom again next year |
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We were so close to becoming a finalist for the Better World Award contest through rezoom.com, so many thanks to all you voters who chose Common Hope as a non-profit that is making a difference. We will definitely try again for this $100,000 award and when we do, we'll need your help! |
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Welcome back Joanne |
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Last but certainly not least, Common Hope is happy to have Joanne Arnold back on staff! After an inspiring trip on a Vision Team in February, Joanne has taken the position of Development Director. Joanne previously wore this hat, and many others, in the US office from 1996 to 2001. We're happy to have her back. You never know what a trip to Guatemala might inspire! | |
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