Dear valued member of the Hope for Life community,
Like you, we have been closely following the news of the COVID-19 coronavirus. We are saddened by the loss of life and the overarching negative effects on communities worldwide.
After much thought, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone our A Night of Hope Gala, originally scheduled for Friday, May 15th in Seattle. The health and safety of our guests, staff, volunteers, and greater community is our number one priority. The Centers for Disease Control, City of Seattle, King County, and State of Washington have issued strong recommendations at this time to cancel any gatherings of 10 or more people in order to control the spread of the virus. As the event would occur in the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States at this time, we take these recommendations seriously. While we do not know what this outbreak will look like in May, we feel it is our responsibility to our guests, community, and ultimately, our mission, to make this decision now.
We are delighted to report, however, that the event has been rescheduled for Friday, October 16, 2020. It is our hope that by this time, travel and gatherings will be returned to normal, allowing for a fun and inspiring evening of celebration and generosity for Hope for Life! In the meantime, please save this new date, and visit our Gala web page for more information and to purchase early bird tickets!
Finally, we know that this feels like an overwhelming and uncertain time. While social isolation is encouraged for health and safety, we also need each other as a community more than ever. We are especially disheartened to hear about the xenophobic and racist reactions to our Asian and Asian-American neighbors during this time. We encourage everyone to reach out and check-in with your community. As we reprioritize our fundraising efforts for the year, you can expect to hear more stories about the impact you are creating in Rwanda, hopefully bringing our community of partners closer together.
Thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and continued support to empower youth to escape homelessness and holistically thrive. We are extremely grateful for your dedicated and loving presence as part of the Hope for Life family. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our US team at admin@hopeforlife.us.
With appreciation,
Megan Chao
U.S. Executive Director/Co-Founder
Ally Shook
Development Director
Copyright 2024 Hope For Life | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
Family Support & Monitoring Coordinator
Josiane is passionate about child protection and psychosocial initiatives with over 10 years experience in child protection programs, behaviour change, and community awareness activities. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from the National University of Rwanda and is certified in clinical Supervision through the University of Rwanda. Josiane is a registered clinical psychologist with the Rwanda Allied Health Professions Council
Family Psychologist
Anathalie enjoys working with children, adults, and families to find healthy perceptions of themselves and make positive future achievements. She is passionate about facilitating the healing process for people who have gone through traumatic experiences. Anathalie holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rwanda and a Master in Public Health from Mount Kenya University.
US Board Member
Tressa (she/her) has a background of more than two decades working alongside US-based, international, and cross-national nonprofits, mainly focused on relief and development. She has experience in a wide range of roles, including Human Resources, Grant Writing, Finance, and more. She was introduced to HFL through a friend and was strongly drawn to the organization’s holistic approach to addressing community needs.
SUPPORT STAFF
Esther wears many hats at HFL’s office, from clearing to preparing meals.
TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Chantal is passionate about working with vulnerable children and seeing them experience holistic wellbeing. She oversees the work in the Transitional Program and serves as a child and family therapist. She has more than 17 years of experience as a therapist, school counselor, and in women empowerment programs. Chantal holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and an advanced diploma in Mental Health Nursing.
RWANDA CASE ATTENDANT
Emmanuel, a former HFL beneficiary, supports youth in educational services. He leads catch-up classes, school work revision, and ensures youth who have dropped out of school are able to successfully return to the classroom.
US BOARD MEMBER
Alessandra serves as Chief of Staff for Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. She has worked on critical issues such as affordable housing, the opioid epidemic, race and social justice, developed and strengthened relationships with communities furthest from opportunity to ensure more diverse perspectives are considered in policy development, played a key role in the response to COVID-19, and led Snohomish County’s refugee resettlement efforts in collaboration with community and non-profit partners.
Alessandra was raised in Snohomish County and resides in Everett. She attended the University of Washington and holds bachelor’s degree in Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior and holds a master’s degree in business administration. Alessandra enjoys biking, exploring trails, traveling, reading, playing with her Shiba Inu, and spending time with her family and friends.
Advisor, US Board of Directors
Emily works as a Washington State Auditor and is passionate about social justice, fighting homelessness, and nonprofit finance. In addition to being a CPA, Emily holds a BA in International Development, an MA in Public Administration, and certificates in Accounting and Nonprofit Management. We are grateful for her and the expertise she brings to the organization.
