Lincoln Nonprofit Holds 11th Annual Run to Support Youth Education in India | News
Scott P. Arroyo
3 min read
Whether it’s for people thousands of miles overseas or right on their doorstep, a Lincoln-based nonprofit wants to let people know it can make a difference in the lives of others.
The Adventure of Hope is an international non-profit organization whose mission statement is “to bring hope and dignity to the world’s most disadvantaged people”. Their next Eventthe 11th annual race of hope, will be in the same vein when it begins this Saturday, April 16.
According to Landon Bartel, Development Coordinator at Hope Venture and one of the Run for Hope event supervisors, by coordinating with Nebraska organizers and overseas partners in India, Hope Venture is using the event as a fundraiser. funds to provide a backpack full of school supplies for just one child in India for every $10 raised.
The Venture aims to raise $40,000 to provide school supplies to 4,000 needy Indian students, Bartel said.
“It’s the most we’ve ever hoped for with the race, so it’s a really big goal,” Bartel said.
James Peregrine, coordinator of the project, said a beneficial side aspect of the exchange is that the money is sent directly into the hands of organizations in India, helping to broaden the impact of the project beyond children in the need.
“Instead of just shipping things over there, the idea is that the funds go directly to our partners in India and can help help the local economy,” Peregrine said.
The Run for Hope team will consist of 12 Hope Venture staff members, 520 runners and about 100 volunteers, according to Bartel.
The race will follow two 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer trails through Pioneers Park, both starting at 9 a.m., and prizes will be awarded individually to male and female runners who finish first and second in each race, according to the Hope Venture site. Internet. Prizes will also be awarded for the “best costume” and the most money raised.
The event is one of many ways Hope Venture is working to achieve its vision of helping those in need around the world, Bartel said.
According to a video on the Hope Venture website, the organization started 13 years ago after founder Cynci Petersen traveled overseas with ministry in places like India and Kenya. This experience opened her eyes to the plight of countless people suffering from extreme poverty around the world.
Using the connections she had forged around the world in disadvantaged countries, Petersen set out to make a difference in poor countries like India where many lack access to basic needs, according to Bartel.
Some of Hope Venture’s other projects include improving access to everything from food, water and medical supplies to building wells and clinics, according to Peregrine.
Since Hope Venture’s main function is to provide funding to their overseas partners, Peregrine said another important aspect is to allow those partners to decide how they run their projects.
“They know their local environment better than we ever will,” Peregrine said. “So it’s just about letting them have their dreams for the future so they can have the best impact on their communities and the worlds they live in.”
Although they work with partners around the world, Peregrine said one of the foundation’s main goals is always how they can “create a sense of giving” within their local community.
In light of their goal of empowering everyday Nebraskas to take meaningful action, Hope Venture gets 95% of its funding from personal donations, according to Bartel. He said the organization does not seek grants and instead focuses on focusing on the impact individuals can have on others despite the immense distance between them.
“We’re trying to close the gap,” Bartel said. “We’re going to help you have that opportunity to give something of yourself to really impact someone in need.”
