This month the Antigua Health Clinic partnered with the Social Work Program on a two-day preventative health care training. Learning about and practicing preventative health care is one of the best ways to prevent diseases from developing or becoming a family crisis. Dr. Miriam Alvarez, one of the Antigua Clinic doctors and one of the facilitators of the training explains that, “the first step in implementing preventative health care with our families is to work with our key collaborators, the Common Hope social workers, because they are the first contacts with our families and play a crucial role in orienting them.” All thirteen Antigua social workers participated in the training and are now ready to include what they learned in their regular visits with families. “As part of our work of accompanying families, there are many general health issues that we already cover in our visits and it was really important for us to receive this training to deepen our understanding so we can serve our families in a more comprehensive way, ” said Patty Ramirez, Antigua Social Work Program Manager. A key component of preventative health care is to diagnose and treat the illness before it develops into a more severe disease. Having our social workers equipped with this information will help them watch for the early signs of the most common illnesses and refer them to the clinic for treatment or look to environmental conditions that can be improved in the home to prevent the illnesses from developing in the first place. Dr. Miriam Alvarez explains that implementing preventative health care with families starts with Common Hope social workers The Antigua Clinic offers programs and services that address many of the health challenges our families face, but not everyone takes full advantage of them. This collaboration between the Health Care and Social Work Programs is also an effort to better inform and encourage families to participate in programs such as our Early Childhood Wellness Program, Prenatal Care, Cervical Cancer Prevention, Diabetes and Hypertension Programs, and of course our general primary care. This is just one step in providing families with the tools, knowledge, resources and care they need to stay healthy and focused on achieving long term goals of building a better life and a more hopeful future. We look forward to seeing how these coordinated strategies develop in the coming months and in our planning for the upcoming year. 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

Today we are in the Common Hope kitchen making a very tasty traditional Guatemalan dish called Jocon [huh-cone]. Jocon is a blended green chicken stew, made from tomatillos, green tomatoes, green peppers, and a variety of other green vegetables like celery and broccoli. Jocon is typically served with rice and tortillas. It is a favorite of the Common Hope staff, and of many people in Guatemala. Don’t let the green color fool you — this dish is rich, comforting, and oh-so-yummy! Give it a try! ¡Buen provecho! Ingredients for Jocon: *Serves four people 1 and ½ pounds of chicken legs and thighs ½ pound of tomatillo 5 green onions ½ handful of fresh cilantro 1 pound spinach 3 green peppers 1 pound of green tomatoes 1 head broccoli 2 stalks of celery Directions: Place chicken thighs and salt to taste in a pot and cover with water. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove meat and set aside broth. Cut all the vegetables into chunks*. Place in a separate pot and add enough water so that at least half of the vegetables are covered. Cook for 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Blend the veggies and water together, using some of the chicken broth to thin out sauce. Return to pot and add chicken broth al gusto (to taste). Adjust salt and then boil for 10 minutes. Add chicken to mix and cook 5 minutes more. Serve with rice and tortillas. *If you would like the Jocon to be spicy, add a green spicy pepper to the vegetable mixture. 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

In Guatemala, one out of every three first graders fails and has to repeat first grade. But at New Hope School, it is rare to see a first grader repeat the year. What makes New Hope School stand apart from other schools in Guatemala? MORE THAN ACADEMICS Carla has been a teacher for 20 years and she understands that the most crucial and influential years of education occur very early in a child’s life, which is why she loves teaching younger students. “You can really shape them and clearly see the fruit of your labor,” she explains. Carla also credits the success of her students to an approach that encompasses more than just books and learning. “I love being a teacher. But for me it’s more than the academic part. It’s so important to support my students by being a good listener, to show them that I care about them, to show affection. Especially for struggling students, if they feel affection the academics will follow.” Dedicated teachers like Carla are living Common Hope’s mission every day. Thanks to the crucial support of a United Way Worldwide grant on behalf of the generosity of Target, the work at New Hope School continues to make a real impact in the lives of children in Guatemala.Target has supported the Early Childhood Initiative at New Hope School since 2008 and we are so grateful for their ongoing support. Thank you Target for partnering with us! Together, with the leadership and dedication of exceptional teachers like Carla, we are giving students the tools they need to build a brighter future for themselves and their families. 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

“To be in the work of opportunity” Common Hope had the privilege of hosting Dayanara Dennis, a student from Spring Arbor University, for a three month internship in Guatemala. She first came to Guatemala in 2015 on a semester abroad program to study Spanish and fell in love with the country and the people and knew she wanted to return. The director of her semester abroad program suggested that based on her skills and interests, Common Hope would be a perfect place to do her social work internship. And it was! Dayanara worked directly with the Antigua social work program, supporting with house visits and database entry. She also actively participated in our Nurturing Parenting and the Reading Promotion Programs. She received hands-on experience accompanying affiliated families while also having an opportunity to practice her Spanish. I feel privileged to be in this line of beautiful work. To be in the work of opportunity. I am so grateful to all of the families that have shared a bit of their lives with me these past three months. Thank you for trusting me with your worries, but also your successes. Thank you for opening up your homes to me and letting me join you on your journeys.” Dayanara graduated at the beginning of May, completing her degree in Spanish and social work. She now hopes to return to Guatemala and find a job working for a nonprofit. Her dream is to one day be the director of a nonprofit working with women in Guatemala. Thank you Dayanara for all your work during your time with Common Hope! We wish you the best in your future plans! You can read more of Dayanara’s reflections from her experience in Guatemala on her blog: https://onesemesteringuate.wordpress.com/ Common Hope appreciates all of the individuals who are part of this “work of opportunity,” helping to open doors and create opportunities for children and families living in poverty in Guatemala. If you are interested in sharing your time and talents, you can find out more about becoming a short-term or long-term volunteer. https://commonhope2stg.wpengine.com/support-guatemala/volunteer/ 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

Today in the Common Hope kitchen we are preparing one of Guatemala’s most famous traditional dishes, Pepián! This dish is considered one of the oldest dishes in Guatemalan food heritage and was borne from a fusion of Mayan and Spanish cultures. A meaty, spicy stew, you can make Pepián with beef, chicken, or both. It’s really up to your preference because both are delicious! This is a staple dish in many homes in Guatemala, and just like with any soup or stew, you will find that different cooks will add different ingredients, especially when it comes to spices. Below we are sharing Chef Vinicio’s very own recipe. If you live in the U.S., you will likely have to make a trip to your local hispanic supermercado to find some of the chilis and spices. But we promise it is worth the extra effort! So put on your apron and give this deliciously famous Guatemalan dish a try! Ingredients for Black Pepian: *Serves four people 2 lb. meat (either chicken or beef, preferably a rump cut of beef) 1 guajillo chili (aka guaque chili, found in Mexican supermarket) 1 pasilla chili (found in Mexican supermarket) 2 oz tomatillo 2 oz sesame seeds 2 oz pepitoria (squash) seeds, can substitute pumpkin seeds 4 tomatos 1 medium onion 2 garlic cloves 1 handful cilantro 1 cinnamon stick 1 liter of water ½ lb of flour ½ chayote (type of green squash found in Mexican supermarket) 4 carrots ½ lb. médium sized potatoes Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Put meat and liter of water in a pot to cook. Before meat has finished cooking, add vegetables to cook until tender. Remove meat and vegetables, leaving broth in the pot. Separately, take a cast iron comal (smooth flat griddle) or griddle and toast the sesame seeds, pepitoria, cinnamon stick, chilies, the tomatillo, tomato, onion, and garlic, one by one until browned. After toasting the ingredients, place in blender with some of the broth from the pot. Blend until smooth. In a separate comal or pan, toast the flour. Once toasted, mix the flour with some broth from the pot until smooth. Pour the blended ingredients and broth into the pot with remaining broth. Thicken by pouring the flour broth into the pot and stir well. Place the handful of cilantro in the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Finally, add meat and vegetable to the pot and bring to a boil so the flavors mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice and tortillas. 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

Patty de Leon has accepted the promotion to IT Manager, a position that is an integral part of the Guatemala country leadership team and manages the organization’s information and technology systems. As IT Manager, Patty is responsible for all internal network systems, databases, homework center technology and telephone systems. De Leon will lead all technological infrastructure plans and provide critical support to sponsorship, generate reports, statistical data and analysis for all users in both countries. As Common Hope’s first graduate, Patty’s was the first brick laid on the Pathway of Dreams Patty’s achievement is deserving of recognition. Patty is a female leader in a male dominated field and culture. Further, Patty’s is the first name you will find on Common Hope’s Pathway of Dreams. Since becoming Common Hope’s first high school graduate in 1996, she has committed her life to learning and to ending the cycle of poverty for her family. Mission accomplished. In her early days as the clinic receptionist, she found her calling in the computer sciences and continued her studies through a scholarship from Common Hope. Working at Familias, she got hands-on experience and served as a programmer’s assistant on one of the organization’s first database projects. The rest is history. In 2012, she received an advanced degree in systems engineering and became the organization’s first female, Guatemalan, alumni IT Manager. The Guatemala Administrative staff including Human Resources, IT, and Accounting. As a teenager, Patty would never have imagined being where she is now, a university educated, department manager. She offers this advice to affiliated students, “Luchen por sus sueños y no se dejan vencer por los obstáculos // Fight for your dreams and do not let obstacles defeat you.” Next time you visit Guatemala and you want to see HOPE and OPPORTUNITY in action, look no further than the IT office or the Pathway of Dreams. 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

23 participants took part in a special new training developed to expand the capacity of the Nurturing Parenting Program in 2017. Nurturing Parenting teaches parenting techniques and strategies for more stable home environments for children and families Common Hope serves. Started at the Antigua site and known in Spanish as Crianza con Cariño, parents participate in a ten-week workshop to strengthen the parent-child relationship, improve self-esteem of both parent and child, create accountability, and provide a safe environment for children to thrive in at home and at school. When the program expanded to New Hope and San Miguel Milpas Altpas a few years ago, it was being delivered by the same facilitators as in Antigua. It became evident that, just like the needs of each community are different, so are the challenges of its parents. Further, delivering this valuable program without increasing the number of trained facilitators was difficult, not to mention the program was scheduled to expand to San Rafael el Arado this year. Besides the training program, new things in store for Crianza con Cariño 2017 include specialized workshops, including a refresher course to those who have already completed the class, and a series of classes that focus on specific family challenges. Sandra Ortiz, Director of Antigua Programs, who helped design the program in 2006, says, “It has been wonderful to see the program grow and reach more families over the years and it continues to be an important part of Common Hope’s family development work.” 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

From a student in the Antigua Daycare Center to a brick on the Path of Dreams, Michelle Morales’ story started long before she began working for Common Hope. If you have visited Common Hope in the past year and taken a tour of the clinic, you may have met Michelle who greets all visitors with a big smile and a happy “hello.” Although Michelle has only been working at Common Hope since January 2016, she has never been a stranger to the Family Development Center. Michelle’s brick on the Pathway of Dreams As an affiliated family with Common Hope, Michelle’s experience started in the Daycare Center. Once she reached primary school age, she was sponsored. Michelle fondly remembers getting her school supplies at the start of each year. In addition to the academic support, her family received a lot of health care support and a needed improvement to their home. As she reflects about her experience of being sponsored, she explains that “I thought it was great that someone who did not even know me wanted to support me. I felt like they were part of my family because of the motivation it gave me. Thanks to them, I am where I am today.” Her first steps towards furthering her relationship with Common Hope came when she was nearing the end of High School and concluding her sponsorship through Common Hope. Studying to be a bilingual secretary, Michelle applied to do her junior year internship at Common Hope. In November 2014, Michelle completed her first 200 hour internship and then in 2015 she completed a second one to fulfill her requirements to graduate from high school. Michelle was offered a job at Common Hope that following January, working as the receptionist in the Antigua clinic. “I saw Common Hope from a different view. I saw what they do behind the desks. I learned that what Common Hope does is much more extensive that I had thought and I have learned a lot.” Michelle pictured with the Antigua Clinic staff Michelle’s educational goals far from ended with her high school graduation. Despite working full time at Common Hope, Michelle continues to pursue her goal of being a lawyer. She is currently in her second year of Law School. From Monday through Friday, Michelle arrives at work at 7:30AM, works until 4:30PM and then she goes to her university classes from 6:00PM to 9:00PM. Michelle’s motivation and eagerness to learn is easy to see. Beyond her already busy schedule, she currently is learning to play guitar and wants to take English classes to improve her fluency. As Michelle reflects on her years of experience with Common Hope she notes, “Common Hope really helps youth. We finish the program aspiring to do more. We have more goals and more dreams.” Lynn Miller, a long term volunteer with Common Hope, has known Michelle since she was a little girl. At a recent all staff assembly Lynn shared, “Michelle has a great curiosity to learn new things and is very professional in her work with the families who come to the clinic. She is an inspiration to our affiliated students and is a joy to work with!” We thank Michelle for sharing her story with us and wish her the best of luck in all that her future holds! 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

We are excited to share that we have kicked off of the AniMate Math Program, which stands for Animación Matemática. In English this means, making math livelier. That is exactly what AniMate is doing, as it works to make math more accessible, understandable, and fun for students and teachers alike. The program is a result of the success of our Partner School Program and is a way to continue to foster relationships with teachers. The AniMate Program offers teachers resources and techniques they can duplicate in their classrooms to make math more engaging for students. Jorge presenting a teaching technique to make math fun Why focusing on math is important Sitting down with Jorge Monge, coordinator of the AniMate program, he explains that teachers who were part of the Partner School Program stressed that they wanted more help with math teaching techniques. This desire stems from the lack of understanding of the National Math Curriculum called Guatemática, which was established by the Guatemala Ministry of Education in 2006. After the launch of this new curriculum, many teachers did not receive the proper training or guides to learn how to teach it. Last year, Common Hope, with the endorsement of the Ministry of Education, provided training to teachers on the curriculum. AniMate is the next step, as teachers continue to be trained in ways to effectively and engagingly teach math to their students. Jorge explains that, “the biggest challenge in schools is that math is very hard to understand. The difficulty of math can lead to kids dropping out of school. If teachers have better lessons and materials, we can get more kids to enjoy math.” This year we are offering workshops for teachers from preschool through sixth grade. “The biggest challenge in schools is that math is very hard to understand. The difficulty of math can lead to kids dropping out of school. If teachers have better lessons and materials, we can get more kids to enjoy math.” AniMate workshop session All of the partner schools are invited to participate in the workshops, including San Miguel Escobar, Santa Catalina, Guardiania el Hato, San Rafael, and San Miguel Milpas Altas. In the workshops, teachers get the opportunity to learn different math topics, make materials, and borrow materials to use in their classrooms. The materials that can be borrowed include games, manipulatives, flash cards, and text books to consult about different activities. “It is harder to teach a teacher than to teach kids. If teachers can change the way they learn, they will improve the quality of their lessons they are teaching to their students. If they open up to better ways to learn, they will do better when they have to teach it,” said Jorge about the importance of the workshops. Teachers working with manipulatives to understand hands-on techniques for teaching math Kicking things off The workshops are being held at the Antigua site on Fridays, and we hosted the first one on February 10th for 1st through 3rd grade teachers. We anticipated 20 teachers would attend and in fact, 23 teachers from different schools participated! Renato Westby, Director of the Partner School Program said, “this training was offered as an extra-curricular activity which meant teachers volunteered their time. This is what made our attendance even more impressive.” On February 17th, the second workshop took place for 4th through 6th grade teachers. The AniMate Program also has plans to explore working with students in the afternoons. The kids that are struggling in math or want to strengthen their math skills can come to the math center and use manipulatives, objects which are designed so that a student can perceive some mathematical concept by manipulating it. This is a great hands-on way for kids to learn. Jorge states that the ultimate goal for the center is, “to be a space where kids can see math as fun and useful for life,” and a library for math resources that teachers, students, parents, families and staff can all use. Common Hope’s plan is to begin working with students in March from the Santa Catarina Partner School. Third-graders will be invited two afternoons a week to do math activities. As an organization, we are excited to see how AniMate will increase math efficiencies for students in our Partner Schools. 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

Deb pictured on left with teammate Sheryl Dyksterhouse We talked to Sheboygan Rotary/Interact Team Leader and superstar fundraiser, Deb Wente, about her team’s strategy for fundraising and how they met and exceeded their goal months before their trip. Tell us about your recruitment strategy. How did you find people to join your team? I set deadlines for myself. I wanted to have my whole team recruited in 3-4 weeks. My original plan to bring high school students didn’t work out because of school schedules. So I went to plan b. It was easy to recruit people! I used Facebook, actually. I ended up with an eclectic group of my friends and contacts. Our team is made up of men, women, and students from different professional backgrounds. The International Committee of the Sheboygan Rotary Club came up with an idea to host a fundraising event. We threw a cocktail party and invited all of the Club members plus our friends. For $50, guests received a great variety of food including jocon (Guatemalan chicken stew) and wine. We had an awesome turnout of about 60 people. I did a short 10-minute presentation about Common Hope and our upcoming trip. It was a very successful fundraising event because Rotarians donated all of the food and wine, so 100% of the proceeds went to our fundraising goal. What advice would you give to those who are worried about fundraising? Have a strong message you want to communicate and ask with confidence! Go slow and steady. If you can’t do one big “event,” then just chip away at it. Try to do something small every month. Just keep at it! 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

Bernie and Lori Borschke were excited, overjoyed, and proud to learn their student, Marco, whom they had been sponsoring for four years was graduating this year. The Borschkes were unable to make the trip to Guatemala to see Marco graduate in person. Still, like many sponsors, they wanted to recognize Marco’s achievement in a bigger way. They contacted Common Hope to ask if there was something they could do. THE CHANGEMAKERS Common Hope explained that they had an idea they wanted to pilot – and perhaps the Borschkes would be interested in being the first sponsors to make a CHANGEMAKER GIFT. Common Hope had been in the process of developing this potential new program, and the Borschkes and Marco could be the perfect candidates to test it. For anyone that has read Common Hope’s mission statement, they know our vision is more than just supporting education. We promote three goals for our affiliated students: Graduate from High School or vocational equivalent Develop critical thinking skills And possess the confidence, compassion and organizational skills that enable them to be multipliers of our work and agents of change. It was this last goal, to be multipliers of our work and agents of change, that struck Common Hope as an opportunity to give graduates a new level of understanding of the impact of giving – the same impact that enables Common Hope to do its work. Our graduates are likely in a place in their lives where giving back is not easy. So we asked the question, “What would happen if our graduates had the opportunity to direct a gift, given in their honor, to a project they felt made a difference in their lives – a gift that could act as a catalyst to start their own personal traditions of giving back?”  This could plant the seed of what giving really means. The Borschkes liked the idea. They made a gift in Marco’s honor and their wish was for him to direct the gift in a manner that was meaningful to him. In essence, he was making a gift to Common Hope in the tradition of becoming a “multiplier of change.” And the outcome could not have been more powerful. After learning that he was the first Common Hope CHANGEMAKER and his sponsors had given him this opportunity, Marco decided to designate his $1,500 CHANGEMAKERS gift from the Borschkes to the Health Care Program. He explained that a donation to this program would help other families so they don’t have to go through the difficult times his family faced. Marco further explained saying, “Just as we were helped, we can use this gift to benefit others. My grandfather had a saying that if God is blessing you, you should splash blessings onto others.” My grandfather had a saying that if God is blessing you, you should splash blessings onto others. Jeff Barnes, Common Hope’s Director of Strategic Planning, facilitated the visit that day and was moved by Marco’s passion, spirit, and determination. “Marco is why we do this job. He has fulfilled all three of Common Hope’s desired outcomes for our students–he’s graduating, he showed critical thinking skills, and through this CHANGEMAKER donation, he’s become an agent of change in his community.” Marco’s journey started with a dream. With his hard work and dedication, and support and encouragement from the Borschkes, that dream became a reality. Now that he’s graduated, Marco will continue to be a changemaker, striving towards his personal goals while also using his talents to give back to families like his. 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

Joe Fleming is an 18-year-old with a sharp mind, an adventurous spirit, and a big heart. He’s a proud Eagle Scout with a passion for the outdoors, IT (information technology), and volunteering. Joe graduated from high school in June and is currently attending community college with plans to transfer to a four-year school to study Geospatial Science. Recently, Joe visited Common Hope in Guatemala and spent time as a short-term volunteer working with Esteban and Fernando in maintenance. That is when he learned more about our work and the focus on education as a means out of poverty. A trip to the mercado spawns an idea It took about 40 hours for Joe and Bob to refurbish all of the laptops While at a supermarket in Antigua, Joe noticed that the price of computers in Guatemala was significantly higher than in the U.S. The families Common Hope works with earn an average of $150-200 per month, so owning a computer is not a possibility. Yet many times, students need access to computers and the Internet to complete their assignments. Knowing that, Joe got in touch with Pablo, Common Hope’s IT Director, who confirmed a need for laptop computers for students. After returning home, Joe got right to work. He reached out to Kyle Jarrett, a fellow Eagle Scout who did a project that involved refurbishing computers for a local elementary school in Virginia. The Jarrett’s referred Joe and his father Bob to the VA STAR Program (Virginia Student Training and Refurbishment), which provided all 16 laptops to Joe and Bob free of charge. That’s when the real work began. All in all, it took Joe and Bob about 40 hours to fully refurbish the laptops and install their operating systems. On top of that, they drove all the way from their home in Virginia to our St. Paul, MN office to drop off the computers – a trip that took them a total of 35 hours! When asked about the project Joe humbly says, “I saw a way to do something, so I took a shot.” And Joe, we are so glad you did! Common Hope would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Joe and Bob Fleming for not only sharing their talents and resources with us, but also for dedicating so much of their time to helping others. Limited access to technology is a challenge that many of our students face on a daily basis, and this donation of 16 laptops will make it easier for them to do homework, conduct research, and complete assignments. ¡Con mucho cariño, GRACIAS Joe y Bob por su ayuda! Thank you also to the VA STAR program for donating the laptops to Joe and Bob, and to Kyle and Scott Jarrett for all the help and guidance provided along the way. Please stay tuned for a follow-up story once the laptops complete their journey to Guatemala! STORY UPDATE: January 2017 Francisco unpacking the laptops in Guatemala The laptops made it safely to Guatemala via our yearly shipping container! IT staff member, Francisco, received the laptops and had high praise for the quality and immaculate condition of the refurbished laptops. In January he began to format them, installing software and hooking them up to the network. Once again we would like to thank Joe for all of his ingenuity and hard work making this project happen! 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