Common Hope knows the power of families and their ability to move mountains. Be it the determination of the families we serve as they work towards a better life for themselves and their children, or the compassion and generous giving of the families that support Common Hope’s work through sponsorship, Vision Teams, and most recently Walk For Hope. It was powerful and moving to see how many families were united by Walk For Hope, with one goal in mind—to raise funding for Covid-19 Response and the families in Guatemala that are struggling because of it.
There were many family teams that UNITED to make HOPE REAL. Thanks to all of YOU!
Andersons, Blindts, Currens, Denmans, Hellermanns/Arceneau/Melrose, Jacobsons, Johanns, McGuires, McConaheys, Mylreas, Norlings, Osgoods, Petersons, Recinos, Sanborns, Scanlans, Smiths, Treinens, and Westbys.
There were a few special families who united across the U.S. whose efforts the organization wants to recognize and acknowledge!
The Johanns Family
For 23 years now, Clem Johanns has been a generous donor and sponsor with Common Hope. The Johann family’s generous gifts have made it possible for approximately 30 families to receive new homes upon completing their volunteer hours. Like many long-term Common Hope supporters, Clem and his wife Patricia learned about Common Hope’s work at a church presentation given by founder, Dave Huebsch. The message and stories from Guatemala resonated with the Johanns and ever since that time, Clem and his family have been faithful supports of Common Hope’s work and have seen all three of their sponsored students graduate from high school—Yenifer, Miguel Angel, and Antonia.
With his daughter Jeanne’s help and coordination, Clem encouraged his children and grandchildren to participate in Walk For Hope and with 17 family members scattered throughout Iowa, Utah, Texas, and Virginia, the Johanns family raised $7,496 for Covid-19 Relief efforts in Guatemala—the third top fundraising team in Walk For Hope 2020. Thank you Johanns for uniting for HOPE!
The Hellermann, Arceneau, and Melrose Families
Twenty years of fundraisers in schools and at 4th of July parties, sponsorships, countless visits to Guatemala, and spreading the word about Common Hope’s work to literally the entire town of Melrose Minnesota, Cheryl Hellermann and her family are exemplary Common Hope supporters. Anyone who knows Cheryl knows how much she cares for the people in Guatemala. It was disappointing when the Vision Team she had scheduled this year with her family had to be cancelled because Guatemala closed its borders due to COVID-19.
But where there’s a will there’s a way! In response, she rallied her family and community members to join Walk For Hope, and raised $1,356 and encouraged a couple new sponsorships as well. Thank you Cheryl and family for recognizing the ripple effect of a few voices, telling the Common Hope story and little by little, building a network of supporters among friends, neighbors, and an entire community.
The Anderson Family
Common Hope and the people of Guatemala have a very special place in the hearts of all members of the Anderson Family Tree. Ron and Dee Anderson are from Perham, Minnesota and have known founders, the Huebsch family, since they can remember—so they’ve been Common Hope supporters since the very beginning. Ron and Dee have passed their philanthropic legacy onto their family—all three daughters and all eight grandchildren have gone to Guatemala as members of a Vision Team, and Ron has been a part of every one of those Vision Teams, most recently visiting in February 2020. What’s more, all of them sponsor a child through Common Hope, because in their words, “After all, you can’t be a part of a Vision Team and not be compelled to become a sponsor!” Thank you Andersons for your giving spirits and for creating that same spark in the next generation of Andersons!
Read more about the Anderson family legacy on a previous blog post!
