A child’s smile is the purest form of happiness. I love to feel the essence of their spirit and their untainted view of the world. Children’s laughter is contagious and they share the universal language of love through this connection.

One of our greatest goals has been to help children keep their hope alive by believing and expecting a brighter future. A challenging task when they don’t have life’s basic necessities and live in a cycle of poverty. We could give up, or we could remember Richard M. Knittle Jr.’s quote, ” putting a smile on a child’s face can change, maybe not the whole world but at least their world.” With grateful hearts to all of the Esperanza supporters, we’ve been able to give opportunity, not charity, one child at a time.

We have taught the children to dream and set goals. This is a foreign concept when they watch their parents struggle day to day, and it requires planning and motivation on their part. We have witnessed this in children as young as preschool, and other times it isn’t developed until young adulthood. Equipping an individual’s specific needs whether it’s books or tools, and providing tutors and mentors has made a difference. Staying consistently in their lives, through all their ups and downs is part of our commitment. The joy we experience is watching when life long skills are developed, modeled in their families and shared within their community. They truly are making their world a better place!

Choosing the name Esperanza (hope in Spanish) for our nonprofit was intentional and deeply meaningful. We want to continue to inspire action, reinforce connection with others, and help people cope with adversity while building resiliency.

This holiday season, and throughout the coming year, we are wishing you peace, love, joy and hope.