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Convoy:Women Celebrates International Women’s Day

By Doree Donaldson

March 8 was International Women’s Day, which provided an opportunity to celebrate achievements and discuss the challenges women face.

This year 350 Convoy:Women participants came together to make a difference through their support of Convoy of Hope's Women’s Empowerment initiative. They were joined online by 75 viewing groups around the world. Convoy:Women is a sisterhood of advocates for the women and girls Convoy of Hope serves.

Highlights from this year’s annual luncheon included a baby care kit packing station where 675 kits were assembled, as well as an international fashion show. Guest speakers shared their passion for the program as a strategic means to see women empowered. A panel of Women’s Empowerment specialists did a deeper dive into the needs of women and girls around the world and how Convoy is striving to be a part of the solution.

Through Convoy’s Women’s Empowerment initiative, the cycle of poverty is being broken and the stories of women and girls are being changed. Women receive tools and training to start their own businesses— equipped to become the CEOs of their own companies. They are now empowered to provide for their families. Girls are finding their voices and learning to make decisions that will positively impact their futures.

Convoy of Hope team members believe all women and girls deserve to know their value and significance—to have their dignity and strength restored. More than a simple hand up, the Women’s Empowerment initiative creates life-changing opportunity for participants. To date, more than 46,000 women and girls have been empowered through this program.

An African proverb says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The road ahead is long, but together with faithful partners Convoy of Hope is changing the stories of women and girls around the world.

Ann Fritz, a seamstress with more than 15 years of

experience in custom sewing, has been using her business to raise funds for Convoy of Hope. She creates custom pieces, ranging from throw pillows to window treatments and upholstery, to support Convoy. “Time, gifts, talents—whatever you have—I would encourage you to use to help others,” Ann said.

Mike & Stephanie Burnette

LifePoint Church in Clarksville,

Tennessee, connected their New Year’s prayer emphasis with a coordinated campaign to raise funds for water filters. Pastor Mike Burnette created a January 1 social media invitation, participants donated coffee/latte money, and more than 1,000 filters were purchased. This will provide water solutions to families around the world and those who are experiencing homelessness in the United States.

NASCAR driver Joey Logano and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Derek Carrier

were among volunteers assisting Convoy of Hope at a March 6 event that helped more than 800 families. The distribution of food, Shell gas cards, hygiene supplies, and other resources took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event was made possible by Convoy NationTM, a fan base of kindness with Convoy of Hope led by athletes, celebrities, innovators, entrepreneurs, and everyday people.

Since 2018, Convoy of Hope has served about 6 million meals to more than

562,000 Venezuelans affected by economic unrest. Currently, Convoy is providing food and hygiene supplies to more than 1,600 families each month in Venezuela. In-country partners are pivotal in locating vulnerable families and identifying local vendors who can package and distribute to families in need.

Eight months’ worth of rain within a week in March created massive flooding

in New South Wales, Australia. Many

communities were entirely underwater, and others were completely cut off from the rest of the country. Convoy of Hope team members have been on the ground distributing cleanup kits to help families and individuals in the affected areas.

Texas Crisis: Eighty-Nine Tractor-Trailer Loads Distributed

Hit with three major winter storms in February, Texas suffered a massive electricity generation failure with resulting shortages of water, food, and heat. Convoy of Hope was on the forefront of responding to those in need with the help of partner churches like Hope City Church in West Houston.

Anthony Minor, a community coordinator at Hope City Church, likened the disaster to Hurricane Harvey’s devastation in 2017. “Even with Harvey,” he said, “everybody was not affected to this extent. With this, everybody lost power. Everybody was affected by this who lives in Houston.”

With the help of supporters, volunteers, and partners on the ground, Convoy deployed 89 tractortrailers full of water and other supplies. In total, nearly 3 million bottles of water were distributed while local water supplies were reestablished. Along with Texas communities, residents in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi were helped.

With Europe facing its fourth wave of COVID-19 restrictions

and lockdowns, the Convoy of Hope Europe regional team is strategically reaching families in need through Bags of Hope distributions. Currently, 42 distributions are scheduled across Moldova, Bulgaria, and Spain. Refugee friends and neighbors in France, Spain, Greece, and Bulgaria will receive food and hygiene products monthly. Bags of Hope are assisting many food-insecure families and have provided opportunities for local church partners to build relationships in their communities.

Danny Gokey Video Features Convoy of Hope

“This is a new day! Everything’s bursting with hope, coming alive this moment.”

Lyrics to musician Danny Gokey’s most recent song, “New Day,” reflect the singer’s hope for the future. “I’ve been looking forward to releasing this song at the top of 2021 to remind people that, in spite of all we have been through over the past year, God’s plan is still full of new mercies and our futures are bursting with hope!” Gokey said.

When Gokey needed a tractor-trailer to deliver that hope in his new music video, he turned to Convoy of Hope. The video features cast members loading boxes into a Convoy trailer in a warehouse environment.

“My first experience with Convoy of Hope was back in 2017 when I partnered with them and we did a concert to raise money for [Hurricane Harvey] victims in Texas,” Gokey said. For Gokey, Convoy of Hope’s continued impact rests on a central standard: “They love everybody, and they show it by what they do.”

Danny Gokey

To view the video, SCAN HERE!

Sri Lanka: Expanding Number of Children Fed

Susanne Wickramaratne, known as “Auntie Susan” to many in Sri Lanka’s Summitpura slum, began a small feeding program in 1979 called Center of Hope.

In 2019, Convoy of Hope began partnering with Center of Hope to provide meals for the children in their centers. Before the partnership, Center of Hope fed 150 children every school day. Now, more than 1,000 children in Sri Lanka receive nutritious meals. With time, Center of Hope plans to feed 5,000 children every school day.