Project Hope Worldwide in Owasso celebrated its 15th anniversary of helping care for orphans in Uganda, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
Project Hope Worldwide in Owasso celebrated its 15th anniversary of helping care for orphans in Uganda, Nicaragua, and Mexico. The organization held an anniversary gala celebrating the achievement and many more years of helping orphans.
It was a night for people to celebrate the work being done around the world, but it was also a time to bring awareness to their mission.
"It's been so life-changing to see the need and being able to help these kids. Project Hope feeds, educates, and protects orphans and vulnerable kids, and once you've seen these kids you just fall in love with them and you want to do whatever you can to help them," said guest and volunteer Nicole Smith.
Smith has been involved with Project Hope Worldwide for the past year. As a mother of five, she said it's hard to see the children without mothers and fathers.
"Once I saw those kids I wasn't backing down. Whatever I can do to help and get more people involved, know about what's happening in these countries, I'm here to do it," Smith said.
Project Hope Worldwide helps hundreds of children in Uganda, Nicaragua, and Mexico.
"We have about a thousand in our school in Uganda and about 100 kids in our orphanage, and we employ a lot of widows there as well," said Amanda Grace, one of the non-profit's team members.
Grace said by helping the children, they are making a difference for generations to come.
"It's not just they're in our care now and someone is sponsoring them and they're cared for right now. They learn how to support themselves. They learn how to support their family. We're breaking that cycle of generational poverty through our organization," Grace said.
The organization's focus is now on moving forward and raising money to help even more children.
"It doesn't take much to make a difference. A dollar goes a really long way in the countries that we're in, and every single dollar that's donated to our organization is a life that we get to change. So, the more help, the more change we get to make," said Grace.