There is something quite satisfying about digging your hands in the dirt, planting seeds, and waiting patiently to cultivate your harvest. Not only is it sustainable and soothing to the soul, gardening reconnects us with the land and invokes feelings of peace, abundance, and gratitude. In August, Operations Manager Josué Sicán ordered 300 pounds of seeds – enough to plant over 50 acres (the equivalent to about 37 American football fields) with vegetables. Once those seeds arrived, Josue and his team got to work weighing bags of seeds – over 5,000 bags in total! Within days of the Hope Kit delivery, families were sending photos, videos, and messages to their social workers to show them the small gardens they had planted. Many families said they had taken advantage of the activity to bond over a common goal. Some said that they were relieved, because it meant they wouldn’t have to go to the market as often. Others turned it into a teaching opportunity for their kids. The strength and resiliency of families, the generosity of our supporters, and the abundance of hope ARE seeds of opportunity and will deliver a wonderful harvest. Seeds of Hope Gallery

Boston Scientific, Common Hope Corporate Partner since 2018, tops the charts for their enthusiasm and passion for Common Hope’s mission! IT happened fast – when Common Hope had to postpone two Boston Scientific Vision Teams because of COVID-19, team members quickly redirected their volunteer interest into support for the Walk For Hope. Combining effort, the Partners in Humanity and COVID Response Teams launched into action. The BSCI Urology division coordinated a competition – challenging each region to raise the most money, share the most about Common Hope, and get the most team members. ALL IN, 119 members registered to participate on 13 different teams across the United States, raising over $20K in two weeks and funding 208+ months of programming for Common Hope students! Who WON?? While the West Coast team had the most members, the North Central Team carried first place early and held their reign––in large part due to the dedication and perseverance of their top walker and fundraiser, Kimberly Casper! Thank you Boston Scientific for your creativity, commitment and social responsibility and partnership to #BETHEHOPE!

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!

The positive response to Common Hope’s first virtual Walk For Hope was incredibly exciting and energizing. Common Hope’s sponsors and supporters, members from the Executive Management Team were enthusiastic to participate in Walk For Hope. Country Director Rebecca Sanborn formed a team with her parents and network in California and united across borders to walk for hope. Director of Education and Management veteran, Renato Westby walked with his family in Guatemala and posted pictures and videos of their stops throughout Antigua, illustrating a much more different town than we are all used to seeing. And, fulfilling his role as human resources and staff cheerleader, Administrative Director Pablo Cermeño rallied all 115 employees in Guatemala to promote health and teambuilding by Walking For Hope. Like his peers, Jeff Barnes, Director of Strategic Planning, approached his walk with a reflective spirit, doing his 5K in New Hope Village, the community he helped build 17 years ago. Thanks to these efforts, the Executive Management Team raised over $13,500 for families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Guatemala. We are so grateful to you Rebecca, Renato, Pablo, and Jeff for your hard work and commitment! Jeff Barnes shared an essay of his recent walk to New Hope and reflected on the changes he’s seen in the 17 years since he first visited the community. Read that essay below. Walk For (New) Hope: Stories of Hope and Opportunity in a Difficult Year An Essay by Jeff Barnes Over the last week, over 400 supporters and staff of Common Hope walked about 2,000 kilometers to raise money to support our programs so we can be there for families in Guatemala when they need us. This is the story of one of those walks, a six kilometer stroll down memory lane at New Hope. My “Walk for Hope” began at New Hope, because I did too. I joined Common Hope to oversee construction of New Hope village in February 2001. It looked different back then, but so did I. That big mound of dirt in the first picture was carefully repurposed to fill a ravine nearby, and in its place now stands New Hope School. Which is where my walk began. My favorite was when we were first laying out the site, converting a raw hillside into a staircase of tanks and ponds forming a biomass treatment system. I was getting the crew started on building the retaining walls that would sustain it, and about 5 minutes into my explanation of what needed to be done I was interrupted by a particular kind of burning itch behind my knee. Turns out I had chosen to stand on a fire ant hill, and while I was talking several dozen of them had been working their way up my leg. The guys had a lot of fun watching their boss strip off his Carharts and stand grimacing in his underwear trying to get all those ants off his pale white legs. Did wonders for my image. Here’s a couple of old photos of that wall going up and building the filtration pond pictured behind us. From there, Alberto and I walked down into the wooded ravine at the base of the site, and then made our way back up the hill, past the school into New Hope village. It’s a steep grade and was I reminded how much better shape I was in when I used walked the site a couple times a day. Maybe it was the N95 mask I wore now, but I was winded. Or maybe it’s because I’m 17 years older now. Who’s to say? Planning my 5K walk, I hoped that I would run into some old friends along the way, and I wasn’t disappointed. Right away I came upon Juan Bravo. We bumped elbows and had a nice chat about how the families were faring during this crisis. He said no one had gotten sick, and we talked about how those living in New Hope were fortunate to be living through the Covid crisis in a safe place with little traffic but plenty of fresh air and water. It’s not an easy time, but Juan was upbeat. He’d been through worse in his life, and told me the story of his “patatush,” a Guatemalan term for a life-threatening health scare. In his case, it required emergency brain surgery, and left his right arm and foot hindered. But as he said, God is great, because that terrible event that could easily have killed him happened in the best circumstance possible. He was actually working as a driver for a doctor who was with him when it happened. He got the help he needed, “and I’m still here.” he said. As we talked, a few more neighbors came by. Doña Rosa and Julio Moran stopped for a bit on her way to drop off their daughter’s homework at the Junior High in the city. Pretty soon Doña Sheny and some others came by to say hi, too. I was glad to see people, and also to see that they were wearing masks. They’re living life, but doing what they can to keep safe. As much as I enjoyed running into people, one nice surprise was finding that someone wasn’t home. The Bravo Morales family were among the first to move into New Hope, and a great example of how life can be transformed by opportunity and holistic support. Yennedi gave birth to her first child just months before the family moved to New Hope. Had Dallana grown up in the ravines, her life would have been much different. Yennedi told me of returning there and seeing girls Dallana’s age with three or four children and few prospects. But New Hope offered the family the chance to moved out of the ravines, to build a home in a safe neighborhood, with access to healthcare and a good education so their kids might have a better life. Their second child, Marvin, was born with a serious medical condition that required ongoing therapy and threatended to keep him from being able to attend school at all. But he got the support he needed and now is set to graduate high school later this year. Yennedi herself has become a leader in the community, part of the neighborhood association that is trying to make the New Hope community a better place to live. Happily, their story continues. And so did my walk. Leaving New Hope village, I continued on toward Tres Sabanas. There I spent a few minutes visiting Yuri, who I began sponsoring as a 3rd grader 18 years ago. In 2011 I got to see her graduate high school, and now I was here to meet Alesandra, her baby girl, for the first time. When I first started at New Hope, I used to see Yuri coming up out of the ravine next to the property carrying a stack of firewood on her head. She wore a sad expression, and though I didn’t know her, I could see that her life was hard. In my mind she became the poster child for the work we were doing. Maybe I couldn’t help her specifically, I thought, but New Hope was being built for kids like her. A few months later, Renato proposed greatly expanding the small temporary school we ran, and opening enrollment to families from the surrounding villages. At first, I had my doubts. It seemed like risky mission creep. But fortunately Renato ignored me, and on the first day of school, I stopped by and saw Yuri, the girl I used to see carrying firewood, excited, and sitting in class. I signed up as her sponsor. Yuri and I spent a few minutes catching up. Her daughter has large dark eyes and curly hair, and wore a pink mask but it didn’t stay put for long. She told me she had had a difficult pregnancy, confined to bedrest after nearly losing her baby, but Alesandra was born healthy, and is now wide-eyed and curious. Yuri’s husband has been out of work due to the difficulty of the Covid economy, but they have a piece of land nearby and look forward to building a house once he finds work again and they can begin to save. I was two hours into my walk but barely made a kilometer’s progress, so we said our goodbyes and I continued to walk through Tres Sabanas and San Martin villages. Because New Hope began as a post-Hurricane Mitch housing project that then expanded into primary education, many tend to think of New Hope as the village we built. But the vast majority of affiliated students come from these two villages, so the area I was walking through is really the community we serve. After six months working from home with only weekly forays out to buy groceries, it was nice to be out and about. But if I was going to complete my 5k walk before the afternoon rains set in, I realized I had better get moving, so I picked up the pace. Fortunately the road is now paved, so it was a pleasant hike to the entrance of the San Martin village and back to New Hope School. I first met Kimberly the day I had to lay off a dozen men who really needed their job. It was during the Dot Com recession and we had to cut back the construction crew. I had never had to fire anyone before, and it broke my heart when men who lived paycheck to paycheck thanked me for the opportunity to have had a job even as I was taking it away from them. To cheer me up, Renato dragged me to the school, which was having its carnival that day. Neil Bjorkman, a volunteer teacher, introduced me to a shy, 4 year-old Kimberly. He took a photo of us together, later adding a note reminding me to see the value of what we were doing in the potential of girls like her. Fast forward a few years, and Kimberly was in 3rd or 4th grade at that same New Hope School, but having lots of conduct problems. The staff had tried everything, and she was on the verge of getting kicked out. So I did something that I had no right to do, but don’t regret in the slightest. I went to talk to her teacher, Ana Maria, and told her I needed her to save this girl. Ana Maria was a great and caring teacher, and fortunately, Kimberly got back on track. It wasn’t easy, and over the next decade or so there were a couple moments when it looked like she wouldn’t make it. But she did. Two years ago, I was sitting on the steps of the New Hope School gym watching its graduation ceremony when one of the teachers called me over. “Oh no,” I thought. I was just there as a spectator, and was afraid they were going to ask me to speak. I had nothing prepared. What would I say? It was a fitting conclusion to my Walk for Hope. I got to spend a few minutes with Kimberly, and hear about her plans. She’s studying to be a lawyer, online due to Covid, saying she knows she has to keep striving to make something of herself. We recalled Ana Maria, her teacher who would tell her “there are people looking out for you, who expect you to do better,” when she acted up. That made a difference, and it still does. During my Walk for (New) Hope a couple days ago, I was reminded of many things, some great experiences I had over the years, and what a gift it was that John Huebsch talked me into taking a job I thought I didn’t want, to build a village on the outskirts of the city. But what he was really doing was giving me the opportunity to do something difficult but worthwhile. And I will always be grateful for it. I was also reminded of what a priest in Honduras once told me, the most insightful comment I’ve ever heard about the kind of human development work Common Hope does: “Poverty isn’t about things, it’s about people.” “Poverty isn’t about things, it’s about people.” We tend to get caught up in the physical “things” people are lacking: food, shelter, clothing, or money. We do need those things. But what really matters, what makes it work, is people, especially, knowing that someone cares about you and believes in you. Thank you for supporting my Walk for Hope, and for indulging me as I shared the story of my walk, and what Common Hope has meant to the all people it has served over almost 35 years. Get Involved Donate now Become a partner Sponsor a child Vision teams Accomplishments Our partners Sign up for email updates Sign Up For Email Updates Thanks for signing up to get the latest Common Hope news delivered to your inbox. You'll get 1-2 emails a month with current news and information about upcoming events and activities. Please note that we never share lists of any kind with other parties. If you ever want to be removed from the mailing list, please let us know, and we will respect your wish. Email* First Name* Last Name* How did you hear about us? Found you on the webHeard about you from a friendI'm already involvedNews article or storyOther Careers | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Go Paperless

Shari Blindt began her journey with Common Hope as a Vision Team member in January of 2005. Little did she know when she arrived in Guatemala, that just a few months later, she would join the Common Hope team and in 2006, she would become Executive Director of the organization she believed in so whole-heartedly. Just this month, Shari celebrated her 15th anniversary at Common Hope by reflecting on the journey and accomplishments she’s been part of during that time. What is something you’ve learned through leading Common Hope? That to create hope and opportunity, and to combat poverty it requires all of us working together with these principles – a willingness to make a difference for others, the desire for a better life for your children and family, and a team of people who can put ideals into action.  I began my journey with Common Hope with a heart for Guatemala and a head for building a business – and am continually amazed at the generosity and dedication of all of the people involved in Common Hope – those we serve, those who make it possible, and those who deliver on our mission every day.  We are building a better, stronger Guatemala every day through the children and families we serve. What are your top five favorite organizational accomplishments that you have been present to witness and contribute to? Our Partner School program is another favorite accomplishment, and was also a stretch for us as an organization.  The students at New Hope School were progressing so well – and this was our first foray into leveraging what we had learned there into the public-school system.  In Antigua we helped parents access education for their kids, but at New Hope we not only did that but provided a strong, quality education.  Guatemala had just adopted a new national curriculum, so there was a unique opportunity for us to help schools implement it in communities where our families lived.  We learned so much – and today our education support programs are more focused and effective as a result, and we have a strong collaboration with teachers, school directors and the Ministry of Education as well. Both a symbolic accomplishment and a huge milestone for Common Hope was building our Pathway of Dreams, when during our 25th anniversary year we reached 1,000 high school graduates.  To honor them and their families we laid bricks from our Antigua gates to the newly renovated library.  We invited all 1,000 grads to a special unveiling, and I’ll never forget their faces when they realized their names were engraved on the pathway. Two young men ran up to me afterwards, radiating with excitement – saying they felt like they were famous now, like in Hollywood!  Every day there are young kids, or a mom, or a grandma that walk the path looking for names of their brother, sister, or neighbor – our graduates are truly an inspiration to so many others who follow in their footsteps. Affirming that our model for education is successful, through our initial study with the University of Chicago and then 6 years later renewing that research is an incredible tribute to the good work Common Hope has done over the past 3 decades.  Knowing that our students graduate at 3 and 4 times the National average, in a country where only 18.6% of the population will graduate high school is a testament to the dedication, commitment and perseverance of those families, staff, volunteers, and donors who have made our work possible. Today, during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are achieving another organizational milestone –I am amazed by the innovation and ability to pivot by our staff both in Guatemala and here in the US.  We asked ourselves in April how we could ensure we were stewarding the gifts so generously shared by our Sponsors and Donors during a time where most of our programs were mandated to be closed. I think we were even surprised at how much could still be done despite the restrictions on our normal programming.  We shared with our Board in June how we are delivering our education, health care, housing and family development programs during this crisis and the breadth of what we continue to provide is something our team should be tremendously proud of – I certainly am! What is your favorite memory about an interaction with an affiliated family/staff in Guatemala? Thank you, Shari, for your leadership during the past 15 years!

“Adaptability to change is itself a hallmark of successful education.” Peter Hilton, Renowned Mathematician & Code Breaker Education is the heart of Common Hope and has been for over 30 years. So, while Guatemala’s public education system works to pivot fast, Common Hope is working to sustain educational health among students. The Common Hope Team stepped in and created a SPARK! Beginning in March, the education staff started thinking about how they could help learning from home. As they started to develop a strategy to help students keep engaged in learning, there was much to consider—What was the best way to reach them? What tools were available in their homes? What would keep students engaged and busy; develop their critical thinking skills, and continue building foundational skills in math and reading? The answer the created? Chispudos aka “Sparks” in English! Chispudos is exciting and engaging! This new program is a series of regular videos delivered via Facebook to connect over 1,000 Common Hope students to learning. Preschool through sixth graders have access to new videos every day and the content ranges from academic to artistic to health and hygiene to emotion management and vary by age range. Students and parents are encouraged to participate in the learning and send videos or pictures with the content. At the end of every week, Chispudos publishes a Newscast and gives a special shout out to the top 10 families that participated that week. 750 members are taking part! Perhaps the silver-lining to the Covid-19 pandemic is being witness to individuals, families, and entire communities quickly adapting and innovating to the new normal. Common Hope is no exception. *Access to Chispudos is private and exclusive to Common Hope families with primary school students

(Photo from ABC News: Esteban Biba) Decreased income has affected the ability of families to purchase what they need. Food insecurity is among the top concerns for families during this crisis and leaves them vulnerable. Common Hope wants to provide food resources to families for as long as needed to aid in the effort to prevent even great food instability and hunger. Hunger. Stomach rumbling. No work. No income. Restrictions on travel. These mean there is not enough food on the table for everyone. Families are making difficult choices about who will be able to eat and who will go without. This is the current reality in households across Guatemala. COVID-19 restrictions in Guatemala have inevitably caused an increase in acute malnutrition, and food insecurity has risen as one of the top concerns for families during the pandemic especially amongst already vulnerable populations. The White Flag. There is a reason that hunger is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer.” Ask yourself, if you and your family were experiencing hunger, what would you do? Would you have the courage to tell your neighbor or friend you were struggling? Would you ask for assistance? White flags signaling hunger began to appear on the streets and in communities of Guatemala in early April and have since become common site across the country. They hang in windows or on roofs, have been painted on the sides of homes, and are held in the hands of families afraid that they will go to sleep hungry. These white flags ask, “please, can you help?” Community. There is a strong sense of community in Guatemala––of neighbors watching out for each other and supporting one another in times of need. Common Hope social workers have seen this firsthand in the communities where we work. Families who have hung white flags have experienced the kindness and selflessness of neighbors who, though they have little to spare, answer the call for help by giving what they can spare. Hope. There are Common Hope families who have hung white flags. Until those white flags are gone for good, our staff will continue to work tirelessly to eliminate hunger and provide families with the food they need. But we can’t do this without you. You provide the critical funding Common Hope needs to pull down every white flag amongst the families we serve. Watch the video below to learn what has been done so far to address food insecurity and what comes next in the fight against hunger. GIVE TO COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORTS

“Sometimes all we need is a little moment for us, pen and paper, and know we are connecting more people. ” – Marlene Lopez Ibarra National Volunteer Appreciation Week, held April 19-25 honored many generous hearts last week. Common Hope’s work wouldn’t be possible without volunteers – especially in times of crisis. When volunteers step up virtually, a whole new reality is possible! 3M’s Latino Resource Network (LRN), one of Common Hope’s newest partners, is setting a new bar for volunteering! Marlene Lopez Ibarra, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt – SIBG and PSD and Chair Elect of LRN along with the LRN Leadership Team have gone above and beyond these last few weeks to help translate an influx of HUNDREDS of HOPE NOTES to be included in Common Hope’s Hope Kit campaign. Marlene helped coordinate this support and the first volunteer translation activity held at 3M headquarters in Maplewood, MN in February. Marco A. Ortiz, Marlena Lopez Ibarra and the Common Hope Team at the volunteer activity at 3M in February. Marlene Lopez Ibarra, a 3M All-Star, recently featured in an article on Fairygoodboss, shares more about her career at 3M and what motivates her, including her passion to do good. Lucky for Common Hope, the stars aligned for this partnership when Marlene sought a new volunteer event for LRN Leadership Day. She reached out to Common Hope and a month later, more than 35 employees gathered for the world’s largest translation party! Over 380 letters! Marlene not only helped coordinate but she has quickly become a tireless cheerleader for Common Hope’s work! Marlene is sure that by helping others we become better people. “I get excited to read a letter of a child and know how much he values his school supplies. How much they value their family. And that motivates them to be better and I get to share the love that there is from people worried about them from another country… We are just a little help to remove the language barrier in a love conversation.” Since the STAY AT HOME order went into effect, the partnership with 3M has not been deterred – in fact, during Covid-19 it has flourished. Marlene, too, volunteered at several of Common Hope’s Thursday virtual volunteer activities over the last few weeks. She continues to encourage others in the LRN network to help out and included the opportunity in 3M Go, a newsletter for employees. The article featured a field sales representative who attended the translation event at 3M earlier this year and emphazised the easiness of particpating from home and how much she values the opportunity. “When COVID times hit… we were able to elevate the positive momentum and share it beyond the LRN to other 3Mers that have the bilingual flexibility to participate. I felt special seeing spouses of 3Mers, their kids.. being part of this volunteering opportunity,” she said. We agree and couldn’t say it much better than Marlene. In times of crisis this continuous support from 3M means so much to Common Hope. Mil Gracias Marlene, and all at 3M for your dedication and sharing your gifts with Common Hope!

Today is World Book Day! Usually Common Hope’s library is buzzing on this day, students and parents come together to participate in reading activities. There are many ways for families to dive in to the world of books. From Early Childhood Reading, to borrowing books to read at home, to Story time for parents and kids, to Common Hope’s Star Reader Club. Today, read more about Montserrat and David, two of Common Hope’s Star Readers. Montserrat Montserrat is four years old. She is one of the library’s most frequent visitors and a member of the Star Reader Club. One afternoon Montserrat and her mom were reading at home when her aunt called. Montserrat answered, telling her aunt that she couldn’t speak to her because she was reading. Her aunt didn’t believe a four year old girl could read. “Yes, I do!” said Montserrat and started telling a story using her own words following the pictures of her book. Her aunt got her kids on the phone so they could listen to Montserrat’s story too. Since then, her aunt and her cousins have been calling Montserrat once a week so they can all share a story together. David  Common Hope Student, David, is 11 years old and his favorite book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. He has read seven of the 13 books in the series. David’s mom, Marta, first came to the Common Hope library when David was just three years old. They participated in the Early Reading Program. She read to him until he was ableto read his first book, Froggy Goes to School, on his own. This started David’s love for reading and he has been visiting the library every week since. “Two years ago I read 100 books in one year! Now the books I read are longer, so I can’t read as many,” David explained.“I like reading more than watching TV because I learn a lot more. I love learning new words, too!” David’s teacher shared that he excels academically. She attributes this to his exposure to books at an early age. He reads at a higher level than most students in his class. David’s attendance at the Common Hope library earned him a special reward — his entire class was invited to join him and borrow books, too. “I like showing my friends around the library. I know where most of the books are,” David said.

4.26.21 UPDATE Dear friends, Happy 35th anniversary to each of you who have made Common Hope’s mission possible since our humble beginnings in 1986, when the Huebsch family made the decision to move to Guatemala to serve. This past year has certainly been different than any we’ve experienced before, but with your generosity hope continues to be a source of strength for us, and for those we serve. First, I want to thank you for walking alongside us during this time. Your generosity and support refuels us each day as we continue our efforts to have meaningful impact in supporting our families through the pandemic. Secondly, I’d like to share an update on what’s new in Guatemala and let you know that our work continues to serve our students and families. It has been a year of pivoting and we’ve termed a new phrase for ourselves – ‘covid-keepers’ – those pivots that will continue going forward. I’ll share a few of our keepers and other noteworthy updates below. Access to health care continues to be a critical need for our families – our first covid-keeper is our telemedicine line, which has provided access to health care for families throughout the entirety of this pandemic, and is still in use as a first connection. Now that the Antigua Clinic has re-opened to in-person visits by appointment, telemedicine continues to help families access the doctor even before they travel to the site. We are closely monitoring opportunities for our families to be vaccinated against Covid-19, and look forward to a time (in the hopefully near future) where it is available to everyone in Guatemala. Because of Common Hope’s medical programs, we had the good fortune to receive vaccinations for all of our Guatemalan staff this month, so now most have been vaccinated. Guatemala has a similar system of phases for vaccination as the US and the second phase of vaccination has just begun – allowing availability for people over the age of 70. Social workers have been busy contacting all Common Hope families with older family members who qualify for the vaccines to ensure they have information and access to these resources if they want it. The school year is underway, although it was a slow start this year. Classes began several weeks later than normal, and we had great hopes that students would have hybrid classes this year. To date, however, schools have been operating with distance learning, just as they did all of last year. We had several Covid-keepers last year in our education programs – ultimately allowing us to support more students in 2020 than ever before! By providing connectivity to students and forming a variety of support networks, we again have a network of homework groups for varied subjects, schools, and age groups. In addition – we have a homework help-line where any student can call in for 1:1 support if they need it. Our primary goals during distance learning are to support students in their homework and to reinforce important skill development for their progress in school, as we still are unable to gather in groups.  We were thrilled that 96% of our students were promoted to their next year – and we celebrated 174 graduates last November! As a result of the pandemic, we have also learned from some of the high schools we work with that there are students with one year of high school left who are unable to complete their education due to financial hardship. This year we are providing Scholarships for 35 students with one year left until graduation who wouldn’t otherwise be able to graduate – ensuring that they will reach their graduation despite financial hardship for their families. These are in addition to more than 100 new families and their children that begin their own education journey towards graduation this year. Our social workers are in regular contact with our families, and are resuming in person visits. Another covid-keeper – our families and social workers both report that they feel closer than they have in the past because of the more frequent contact that phone visits have allowed them over the past year – we will continue to do these going forward! We learned through a series of conversations with families that we have nearly 400 families that have ongoing food insecurity issues as a result of the pandemic. For these families we have established a plan for the balance of this year to support their needs on a regular basis. We will also be providing health and hygiene baskets to all of our families in the coming weeks because until vaccinations have been provided for everyone eligible, hygiene and masks will remain critically important. There is no one untouched by the impact of Covid-19, and that continues in 2021 for the families we serve. We are grateful to have sustained our programs despite the economic impact in 2020, but still need your help. Please consider a gift to offset the food insecurity faced by our families, and to ensure that they all have necessary masks and hygiene supplies so they are able to stay safe and healthy. To do so, please click here. However you can help, we are grateful. Together we will continue to make hope a source of strength. Mil gracias, Shari P.S. Please also consider joining us for our 35th anniversary celebration in Guatemala in November – we look forward to celebrating the achievements of our 2020 and 2021 graduates, the 20th anniversary of our work at New Hope, and the 15th school year at New Hope School!   More information is available! Click here. 8.7.2020 UPDATE Dear Friends, As the impact from Covid-19 continues to evolve, I share this update with you with hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. August 17th marks four full months of fast and furious pivoting and transition to meet the needs of Common Hope families during this pandemic. Hope continues to be a source of strength for us, and for those we serve. We have learned so much about the stamina and resilience of both our families and our staff. First, I want to thank you for walking alongside us during this time. Your generosity and support refuels us each day as we continue our efforts to have meaningful impact on the way our families tackle the ripple effect of the pandemic. I also want to share an update on what’s happening in Guatemala and confirm for you that our work has never been more important. For those of you who are Sponsors of a student and their family, you will be receiving a communication from them in the coming week. We have just finished translating more than 3,000 letters that were dictated, photographed, and sent via electronic messaging for you. For most, their families have been affected by lack of work, an inability to purchase ample food for the family, the struggle for their children to learn remotely in an environment with very limited connectivity, or a combination of all of these. Their messages are heartfelt, and can be heartbreaking. Please know that we continue to take steps to alleviate these issues and the stress that accompanies them. As a direct result of the information we’ve received in these correspondences, Common Hope is in the process of implementing the purchase and delivery of a fourth relief package for families. It again includes ample food staples and hygiene products. This time we are also including seeds for fast producing vegetables that will allow families to grow food of their own to provide an ongoing source of nutrition. Our social workers are in regular contact with our families, and we have health and socio-emotional support resources for those who need them. We are just completing health consults, updated lab work and medicine delivery for those patients with chronic health conditions, and continue to provide education support for homework, computer lab access, and data plans for students who need assistance. In addition, all families with preschool and primary school children have received delivery of an education kit to support learning at home. For students, it is unlikely they will return to the classroom this school year in Guatemala, which is normally completed in October. We will continue to foster their engagement in learning with activities included in their education kits, and shared on our Chispudos network. For 860 families with the greatest food insecurity, they received additional food relief. All of these activities were based on responses received during a series of social work interviews I have told you about in previous updates. Guatemala is in the early stages of re-opening, with some public transportation available and longer days/shorter curfews. This will allow many to begin working again, and that means better ability to provide for their families. There is no one untouched by the impact of Covid-19. We are grateful to have sustained our programs despite the economic impact resulting from our inability to host visitors in Guatemala, hold our annual Noche de Colores benefit, and introduce new friends and family to join our mission through these and other events. We are making it work, despite the impact on the revenue needed to fulfill our programming. We remain hopeful, because of you. In the next four months we need your help to continue to meet the needs of our families. Please consider joining us for any or all of the following ways to promote hope and opportunity in Guatemala: Walk for Hope – Join our first ever virtual walk to raise awareness and funds for Covid Relief Sponsorpalooza in September – Sponsor a student, become a relief sponsor Write a note of encouragement to your student and their family Give a gift to our Covid Relief efforts, to support the greatest needs of our families – food, connectivity, health and education support. If you’ve given all you can, we thank you. If you can share a little bit more, we thank you. However you can help, we are grateful. Together we will continue to make hope a source of strength for Guatemala. Mil gracias, Shari Learn More About Walk For Hope 6.12.2020 UPDATE Dear friends of Common Hope, We anticipated this day would arrive, and sadly we are now seeing COVID-19 virus cases in the communities we serve, including two members of the Common Hope family. Our social workers are supporting these families as they navigate working directly with the Ministry of Health for further testing, treatment and recovery. Common Hope is not currently allowed to intervene for health care for those diagnosed with the virus, but our medical staff remains diligent in understanding how best to prevent, monitor, and prepare for what is to come. We are concerned with the capacity of the health care system in Guatemala, even with the many precautions in place to prevent the spread of the virus. Our social workers will, as always, do what is possible to provide ongoing support and advocacy for each family. If a student or family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, Common Hope will not provide this information to sponsors. As in the U.S. this practice maintains the privacy of our families and also reserves our social work resources for family support. As always, we will leave it up to each family to choose whether or not to share health information in their letters. Your continued support of all families and your encouraging words go a long way. We hope you share your kindness by sending a note in the link below. You may ask what we can do. We will continue to accompany our families during these challenging times– Providing food and other relief Providing access to tele-medicine for physical and emotional health Creating education and distance learning opportunities for students And improving connectivity to better serve our families and help our staff be more accessible to all of our families We are grateful that we were able to deliver additional relief baskets to families last week and we are in the process of preparing education kits for all families with preschool and primary school students. These resources will be delivered by mid-July and will include games and LEGOS as birthday gifts for our students in order to provide resources that are both fun and engaging and also reinforce reading and math skills while learning at home. With your help we’ve been able to deliver on the new plans we’ve put in place as we continue to pivot our programs to deliver on our mission. Thank you for making that possible. The families we serve need our support more than ever. We all hope that this virus will quickly run its course and the people of Guatemala remain healthy. However you share your intentions – prayers, well wishes, and positive thoughts are always welcome. I hope you and your family continue to be healthy and safe, Shari Send a hope note to a family Give to COVID-19 Response Efforts 5.15.2020 UPDATE Dear friends, I hope this message finds you and your families safe and healthy. Since my last update, there is much to share. We completed the delivery of Hope Kits filled with food staples, face masks, hygiene supplies, and educational materials to all 1,656 families we work with in Guatemala. Thank you for making those initial gifts of hope possible – impacting over 14,000 brothers, sisters, moms, dads, grandparents and more. There is much to share with you on this day as our work evolves daily and the impact of Covid-19 continues. As of this week there are 1,342 cases in Guatemala and a reported 29 deaths. To our concern, the number of cases jumped significantly over the last two days – from 62 to 143, despite strong measures to slow the spread of the virus. Fortunately, we still have no confirmed cases among Common Hope families or staff. Guatemala enforced even stronger restrictions last night, mandating that our colleagues and families be in a lockdown in their homes. Travel within the country is limited and face mask usage is required in public. International travel to/from Guatemala continues to be suspended and we cannot host visitors and volunteers for the foreseeable future. Beyond this weekend’s mandated quarantine, a curfew exists requiring residents to be in their home bewteen 6pm and 4am daily. Businesses, schools and public transportation is closed and grocery stores and other “essential” services have limited hours and open times. The country’s COVID-19 response is updated weekly by the President. Originally, these updates were provided on Sunday evenings. This week, however, the new quarantine and regulations were shared on Thursday. Given the continued closures and safety measures, we are working fast and furious to generate innovative and creative solutions for supporting our families and delivering our mission during this crisis. It has become imperative to find answers in the face of uncertainty, pivot program delivery and meet our families where they are. Social workers have been resilient and tireless in their efforts to help our families. They have completed a series of five different ‘check-ins’ with families and their work has allowed us to identify the following priorities in our response efforts: Food Insecurity. Food is available in Guatemala, but decreased income has effected the ability of families to purchase what they need. Common Hope social workers have identified those families with the greatest need and we are preparing additional food baskets for 860 families that we’ll begin delivering next week. Health – Physical, Emotional, and Educational. Creating a “holistic health” approach has become increasingly important for families and staff. Our Antigua clinic staff continue to lead the development and implementation of safety protocols for those delivering programs. In addition, the creation of our tele-medicine resources has been and continues to be a critical resource. Our work to support the physical health of families, in accordance with the directive of the Guatemala Ministry of Health is imperative during this pandemic. We’ve also dedicated resources to address address anxiety and emotional health challenges utilizing Common Hope social worker expertise and our psychologists as well. Lockdown and financial stress are definitely weighing on our families and our staff during this time. Our goal is to support their mental health, as well as their physical health. And our education team is on the frontlines of keeping their educational health at forefront as well. Connectivity. Throughout this experience, we are more aware than ever just how critical it is to be ‘connected’, in so many ways. We know this here in the United States as we see our sons and daughters educational growth become dependent on the internet to deliver lessons and instruction; as we work from home or remotely. Being “connected” is a resource, it could be argued, we take for granted here – as we see just how imperative it is, too, for our families, students, and staff in Guatemala. And, just how difficult it can be to acquire. There are countless ways to demonstrate the ways we need to be connected. As social workers used to rely on home visits – now we need cellphone contracts and increased number of minutes and wifi to ensure that we can connect with families via telephone. And, families need data plans, and in some cases, phones to ensure they can take social worker calls, access tele-health and homework helplines and their children can participate in distance learning required by the Ministry of Education. Many junior and senior high school students need even greater access to a data plan and/or computer or phone to complete homework. Our staff is reorganizing spaces at the project, scheduling appointments for the computer lab, and providing data plan minutes to others to ensure they can complete their required assignments. The need for connectivity is among the highest during this crisis, not only at Common Hope, but among our peers serving families in Guatemala and across Latin America. Educational Support. While school is not in session, our education team is piloting an innovative strategy for connecting with all of our preschool and primary school students via social media, ensuring they continue to build their foundational skills in math and reading – interacting in fun and engaging ways. More than 1,000 families will be invited to participate. I am eager to share more about our progress in this initiative in my next update – as the team is creating incredible solutions for safeguarding progress around reading and math skill development. As has been the case since the beginning of this crisis, our educational support team continues to support the homework hotline and help students whenever they need it. Like so many, we are adapting and changing as quickly and efficiently as we can. Still, the economic impact of this crisis is real, both for families and for Common Hope. In the coming weeks, we will be rolling out a campaign for this Covid -19 response. Ensuring that food insecurity, holistic health, connectivity and educational support needs are met as best as is possible in this crisis is something we hope that you will help with. We know that these times are hard for all of us. And, that the impact of the Covid1-19 is far-reaching and all-inclusive. It has always been our mission to bring hope and opportunity to those in poverty. Today, a new level of poverty confronts us in these efforts. I thank you for all that have done and continue to do to make it possible for us to change the ways we serve our families and our students. I look forward to continuing to work with you in this way and to experience even greater success during this crisis. I hope that you will consider becoming a Relief Sponsor, participating in upcoming events like the golf tournament or supporting our Covid-19 response Campaign in the coming weeks. Together, with HOPE as our source of Strength we will weather these storms… With gratitude, Shari Learn About relief Sponsorship HopeMasters at Hazeltine Golf Classic 4.16.2020 UPDATE Dear Friends, We hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy, and that hope continues to be a source of strength for you as it does for all of us at Common Hope. What you should know at this time: As of April 15th, there were 196 confirmed cases of Covid19 in Guatemala, with 19 recovered and 5 deaths, which continues to be low compared to neighboring countries. We are grateful to report that there are no confirmed cases among Common Hope families or staff, although there was one case diagnosed in a village where we work. The case was confirmed not to be from community spread. Guatemala’s strong measures to contain the spread continue with its shelter in place and daily curfews extended through May 1st. Transportation and businesses remain closed, and travel between departments isn’t allowed so many are no longer able to work as a result. We continue to postpone our Vision Teams and visitors because of closed borders. In addition, it is now a requirement to wear a mask when in public, and there are fines for those who do not comply. Fortunately, we were able to include masks for every family member in our Hope Kits that we continue to deliver to families this week. Our social workers continue to be in contact with our families, and are learning that there is increased concern that there is enough food to eat so our Hope Kits are arriving at just the right time. We began delivering Hope Kits to families two weeks ago, and our social workers and team members have been overwhelmed by the gratitude from our families as they received food staples, cleaning supplies, needed medicines and educational materials for each child, customized to their age level. Your messages of support in each basket are treasured, and families have responded with messages of hope for you in return: …Thanks for being the light that shines in this difficult moment… …I am asking God that soon we can go back to school to finish my 6th grade and go to 7th grade. My goals are: to continue studying to graduate from high school, get a job and help my mom. Right now, my mom has no job because of this situation. I hope you are well at your home. Sponsors, I trust that we will move on from this illness. …I am writing to say thank you for all your help, for what I have gotten for me and for my family. I would like to say that in God we will move on from this illness. Thank you for your support… …I would like to give thanks to Common Hope and to my Sponsors for all the help you have given to us in this difficult time that we are living. May God spring on you and your family infinite blessings and may he protect you from all type of illnesses… On behalf of all of our families and every team member, thank you! Our families need us now more than ever before, and we’re able to respond because of your generous support. We still need your help – if you haven’t tried sponsorship before, or know someone who might consider it – you can become a temporary Relief Sponsor for a family whose kids currently do not have sponsors. On behalf of all of our families and every team member, thank you! Our families need us now more than ever before, and we’re able to respond because of your generous support. We still need your help – if you haven’t tried sponsorship before, or know someone who might consider it – you can become a temporary Relief Sponsor for a family whose kids currently do not have sponsors. Our hearts are with all those affected by this crisis. May you and your family continue to be safe and healthy. With gratitude, Shari Learn About Relief Sponsorship 3.26.2020 UPDATE Dear Friends of Common Hope, As before, I hope this email finds you and your family healthy in these unprecedented times. “Hope is my source of strength” was the centering thought from my favorite podcast this week, and it fits so well with the good work that our teams are doing both in Guatemala and the US to continue to bring hope to our families. What you should know at this time: Guatemala continues to be proactive in keeping people at home, and has added a curfew from 4p.m. to 4a.m. every day, which is being reinforced with fines for those who don’t comply. There are currently 20 cases confirmed in Guatemala, and gratefully none of our families or staff have been diagnosed as of this writing. By Monday of this week our social workers had spoken directly with 1,028 (62%) of our families, and plan to have connected with everyone before the end of this week. They are learning that: The majority of families are staying at home, and have a good understanding of what the President is asking of them and why during this health crisis. Our social workers are asking each family about their physical and emotional health, their work stability, and whether or not their children have access to their school’s educational materials. The greatest concerns families have shared include understanding how they can prevent illness, inability to work during this time, and a lack of enough food for their families as a result. Our clinic team began delivering needed medicine to patients last Friday, and has begun accepting telemedicine calls to assess health issues. They will refer patients to the designated health centers for respiratory or COVID19 symptoms as required by the Ministry of Health, and will help find needed transport. They will also diagnose and assist them with other health issues remotely, and our psychology team members are providing mental health support as needed. We have received verbal approval from the Ministry of Health to bring medicines and food to families’ homes within curfew hours. With hope as our source of strength, Common Hope will address these needs by providing every single family a HOPE KIT over the next few weeks. Hope Kits are Common Hope’s way of sharing we know this is a hard time, but there is hope. Each kit includes: food staples, bleach, soap, acetaminophen, and information on how to stay healthy during this time. It will also include educational materials to ensure students continue their learning while they are at home and not in school, and with your help a message of encouragement in every basket. Please consider funding a Hope Kit for a family in need and send them a hopeful message. All the best to you, Shari P.S. For those of you with students on track to graduate in Guatemala, you will be receiving your invitation to join us in Antigua for graduation in November. We are hopeful that graduation will continue as planned, and will keep you posted if anything changes. 3.18.2020 UPDATE Dear Friends of Common Hope, Again, we start by sharing our hopes that you and your family are safe and healthy as we navigate Covid-19 and become accustomed to social distancing in our every day lives. Since last week when I messaged you, leadership in both Guatemala and the US have been responding to the continuous movement around COVID19 virus and efforts to combat its spread. As an organization, health and safety of our families, volunteers, visitors, donors and staff continues to be our foremost concern. What you should know at this time: Since my last communication, there are now 7 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Guatemala. Still, we are grateful to report that there are no confirmed cases among Common Hope families, staff, and/or visitors to date. Progression of the virus continues to evolve rapidly, and we are grateful for the strong preventive approach that the Guatemalan President is implementing for the people of Guatemala. Borders have been closed to all visitors, including the US and Canada. Everyone has been encouraged to stay home, all schools and educational programs are closed, public organizations and businesses with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies, and take-out restaurants are closed, and public transportation has been shut down. As a result, our regular programming has been suspended through the end of March. The President plans to revisit this decision in 7 days. All of our visitors to Guatemala have returned home safely, and we are rescheduling teams whose trips had to be postponed due to travel restrictions. Like so many, our families are worried and concerned. And, we are working tirelessly to determine how best to continue to provide HOPE and OPPORTUNITY during this time. Health Care All respiratory and Covid-19 cases are required to go to the government hospitals, so we are creating new ways to deliver health information and services. We will begin tele-medicine with families to assess their health issues and either refer according to Ministry of Health requirements or serve those with chronic health conditions and unique cases as allowed. We are establishing dedicated telephone access for the clinic to support this, and we have also assigned three clinical therapist staff to attend to the emotional and mental health of our families. Social Work Our social work program has never been more important. Right now the social work team is fully deployed and charged with contacting every family both to check-in and also to provide education on how to avoid spreading the virus. Ensuring these staff keep themselves and our families safe is an incredible challenge. We are purchasing mobile phones, calling minutes for existing phones, and setting up hot spots to access the internet since they will be unable to meet face-to-face. Systems We are also busy ensuring that other staff can work remotely whenever possible, adding technical capability to do so. Unlike the US, most staff and families do not have internet access in their homes, and many do not have mobile phones with data plans for viewing email and messaging. Our leadership in Guatemala is busy ensuring that staff who need access and communications have it available to work remotely where possible to limit travel to/from our project sites. Sponsor/Donor Relations Teams in the US and in Guatemala are defining new ways to communicate with sponsors/donors. While we cannot carry letters to Guatemala right now, we can receive electronic letters via our website and can translate those letters to be delivered to families as soon as we are able. Please write a letter to your sponsored student via our website! Visitors and Events We are working with our upcoming teams and event planning to modify our schedules as necessary. For those of you in the Midwest, we have rescheduled our Noche de Colores event from May 14th to October 14th in St. Paul, and hope that you are able to join us at that time. In addition to the immediate areas we’re addressing in Guatemala, our Education support teams are also planning for how we could help keep students on track with their studies while school and educational programs are closed to group activities. We’re proactively considering where we will have savings during this closure in order to reallocate resources in anticipation of hardships for our families and for our donors as a result of this global crisis. Our US Office is closed to visitors at this time with most of our staff working remotely. We are available via phone and email if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you again for your commitment to the families we serve, in particular as we navigate these uncharted waters. Best regards, Shari 3.12.2020 UPDATE Dear Friends of Common Hope, We hope that this email finds you and your family healthy and unaffected by the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As I’m sure you are aware, it has been a growing global concern over the past few weeks, and information and progression of the virus is evolving rapidly. Over the last few weeks we have heard from many of our amazing Common Hope family members – sponsors, vision team members, volunteers – inquiring on our families, students and travelers. Common Hope has been monitoring the situation closely and our leadership in both Guatemala and the US have been preparing for how we will respond to the COVID19 virus as it continues to spread. As an organization, health and safety of our families, volunteers, visitors, donors and staff is our foremost concern. Common Hope has developed a multi-phase plan to manage our operations as risk levels progress in the US, Guatemala and for visitor travel. What you should know at this time: Guatemala has no confirmed cases in Guatemala, or among Common Hope families, staff, and/or visitors While this is the case, the Guatemalan government yesterday mandated a 7 day quarantine for anyone arriving from Europe, and it is possible that soon the same could be done for visitors arriving from US states that have confirmed cases. As a result, Common Hope is suspending visitor travel through Semana Santa/Easter weekend of April 13th. We have been in communication with our pending travelers and will continue to do so, with the plan to reschedule their trips at a later time. As of today, Common Hope is continuing normal program operations for our students and families AND a heightened safety, cleaning, and hygiene protocol according to CDC recommendations. This is continuously being reviewed, and we will continue to adapt as the virus progresses. For those of you who have written to your sponsored students, we will translate and transport those letters as quickly as possible given travel constraints. If you want to write electronically via the website, those communications will continue to be delivered until further notice. The US State Department raised the global travel advisory to Level 3: reconsider travel. Read it here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/travel-advisory-alert-global-level-3-health-advisory-issue.html. We continue to monitor advisories here and in Guatemala and any restriction impacting travel to/from Guatemala will be communicated directly to those impacted. Our hearts are with those families affected around the world. Thank you for your understanding as we continue to keep everyone’s safety and health at the forefront of our work. Best regards, Shari

“This experience created a bond that goes beyond being a father or child – it brought our family closer together and it led to other great things.” Ron Anderson’s connection to Common Hope goes back to a time when founder, Dave Huebsch, was his student teacher and Common Hope was just an idea. After Dave went to Guatemala to start Common Hope, Ron was part of the first group of visitors from Calvary Lutheran Church in Perham, MN to became sponsors. Ron has tirelessly supported Common Hope’s mission by sponsoring students and organizing work teams and vision teams. Deeply inspired, Ron wanted to share his Guatemala with his family. He made it a goal to one day bring every one of his children and grandchildren on a Vision Team trip. Joined by his daughter Sheila and his grandson Braiden, Ron just returned from his fifth Vision Team experience with Common Hope. With a big smile, Ron shares that it is OFFICIAL. He fulfilled his goal and has brought all three of his daughters and his eight grandchildren to Common Hope. It is fair to say that the Andersons have touched the lives of dozens of Guatemalan children and families. “Like any good experience in life you want to share it with the ones you love,” Ron says. It is important to him that his children and grandchildren could travel to Guatemala, meet the people, learn about their difficulties in life and see first-hand how they’re striving to succeed, and share their optimism. Ron has a special place in his heart for the people he has met in Guatemala. Going on home visits to share in the lives of those he sponsors all Anderson’s favorite part of their experience with Common Hope. Ron gets emotional when recounting his stories and memories about Common Hope, Guatemala, and its people. “Sharing the Vision Team experience with my children and grandchildren was my dream and it made our family grow together more,” Ron says. Ron hopes to leave a legacy for his children and grandchildren that includes continued trips to Common Hope and Guatemala. “I want their relationship with Guatemala to be as long and as satisfying as the one that I have experienced,” he explains. Muchas gracias Ron for sharing your love and support for families in Guatemala with your children and grandchilden and leaving a legacy like no other.

Overcoming barriers to succeed in school In Guatemala where more than 30% of children fail first grade at least once and only 32% complete junior high, we celebrate students who stay in school and keep working. In addition, Common Hope’s academic support programs ensure kids stay on track to graduation. Early childhood education, tutoring, access to a computer lab, a library, youth groups, and one-on-one support for at-risk students are all a part of Common Hope’s resource portfolio. This year, 125 Common Hope students achieved and maintained top marks in their classes. In Guatemala grades are measured from 0 to 100 points–– to qualify honored students reached an average of at least 80 points (80%) in all classes throughout the entire school year; some reached even higher marks of 85, 95, and 100. Consistent hard work and dedication secured their spot on Common Hope’s honor wall, and qualified them as 2019 Star Students. Hard work, dedication, and pride This is a first for Common Hope. For the first time Common Hope’s Scholarship department organized a ceremony to honor these high achievers. Nineth Garcia, Scholarship Manager, shared the importance of both helping at-risk students AND recognizing those who are doing well. All 125 Star Students and their family members were invited to attend the inaugural Star Student Ceremony. Country Director Rebecca Sanborn, Common Hope staff members, and school directors all participated in the event. Every student received a Star Student button with their name on it to put on their backpack as a daily reminder of what they have achieved. Nineth hopes that the buttons will motivate theses students to maintain their good grades and encourage them to collect another button next year. She also hopes it will serve as an incentive for their peers to become Star Students in 2020.“We want these students to feel proud of themselves,” said Nineth. ¡Felicidades a los Estudiantes Estrellas de 2019! Congratulations to the students and their parents! Common Hope looks forward to hosting the 2020 Wall of Honor and Star Student Ceremony!