Helping Other People Everyday (HOPE) is a non-profit 501-(c)(3) team formed in January 2016. The organization consists of 3 women who were raised in Antwerp and work very hard to “pay it forward” to their community.
Pam Slight, Kathy Getrost Whitney and Elaine Carr Phillips all graduated from Antwerp Local. They joined together in 2013 and formed a Relay for Life team. “So many of our family and friends had and were suffering with cancer. Our idea was to help local people in need. After 3 very successful years of doing Relay, we felt like it’s a great organization, but we wanted to get more personal and impact the lives of local people in need” stated the women.
After much thought and discussion, they withdrew from Relay for Life and formed their own independent team. HOPE was born.
They are not limited to cancer patients. Their desire is to help people suffering from medical issues who are struggling in life to get by. Get them assistance with paying bills, help with paperwork. Put some food in their kitchen, help in ways that friends do. Give them gas cards to get to a medical appointment they otherwise would not be able to make or have a volunteer be able to take them to their appointments. They want to be able to give them a lodging voucher if they find their loved one is at a hospital far away and they cannot afford the luxury to be near them.
HOPE is a 100% volunteer organization. All donations and contributions given to the HOPE team are fully tax deductible and 100% will be put back into the community in people’s hands that truly need it.
Based in Antwerp, OH, they help several counties in Ohio and Indiana. HOPE depends on fundraisers, donation cups and the generous donations of companies in order to raise the money needed to provide assistance to those in need.
They have helped several families in the towns they serve. Some have been posted on Facebook seeking assistance and others are a private nature. HOPE covers 14 towns in the 15 mile radius they serve. They have placed donation buckets in each town and the money collected in each town, stays in that town.
They partner up with churches and organizations already in place to serve the local towns as best as possible. “We have many plans in the works of growing and helping even more people with community involvement”.
The team has 3 big Fundraisers planned for this year with the first one on May7th. The “1st Annual HOPE Golf Outing Fundraiser” will be held at Pond-a-River Golf course and the dinner and prize portion of the day will be at the Oasis Bar and Grill in Antwerp. HOPE and Hicksville Helping Hicksville have joined forces for this event to help many families in need. Please think about signing up for a great fun-filled day and many great prizes for a terrific cause!
The 2nd fundraiser is being held at the ACDC Ribfest on June 4th. HOPE will host a children’s carnival in the parking lot over by the grain elevator complete with a bounce house, dunk tank, several fun games, BB hoop shooting, Magician and face painting. HOPE will have food especially for the kiddos as well as their traditional Elephant Ears and other goodies for the adults. They wish to make it something special the children really enjoy.
The 3rd Fundraiser will be a Kickball Tournament Aug. 20th at the Antwerp baseball fields. This will be an all day event with the tournament as well as the Dunk tank and Port a Pit chicken meals.
They are also hoping to have a booth at Day in the Park in August.
If you would like to volunteer some time to HOPE, please contact them and inform how you wish to help. The ladies state they can always use more volunteers and ideas. They can be reached several ways.
Phone 419-405-6555 and leave a voicemail. Email 419HOPE@gmail.com. www.facebook.com/HOPE419
If you know of someone in need of assistance due to a medical issue, please contact HOPE. We are here to help.
