H.O.P.E. Begins Here

Responding to disasters around the world, Convoy of Hope has witnessed the resulting human suffering, misery and loss; as well as economic hardship and demise of local churches, businesses and communities. Because of this, and its commitment to helping communities help themselves, Convoy of Hope is launching an initiative called HOPE Begins Here (Helping Others Prepare for Emergencies).

HOPE Begins Here is a 50+ day campaign to build sector and community resiliency that benefits children, senior citizens, families, and young adults from all walks of life. The campaign is a growing consortium of for-profit, nonprofit and government organizations committed to building awareness and strengthening our nation’s resiliency to disaster, one community at a time.

Each campaign delivers three principal events and numerous follow-on actions to educate and connect the entire community:

FAITH-BASED PREPAREDNESS SYMPOSIUM
Faith-based leaders from across denominational lines will come together to connect with local emergency managers and first response organizations. They will be equipped and shown how to prepare their church to serve not only their own members in a time of disaster, but also serve their community in a way that complements the work of emergency management. Faith-based leaders will also learn how to build resiliency in their own organization through business continuity planning and emergency response planning.

BUSINESS PREPAREDNESS SEMINAR
Business, faith-based and nonprofit leaders will gather to hear speakers cover specific topics such as pandemic planning, business continuity planning, and all-hazards emergency planning. Industry experts will help those in attendance break down the steps they can take to protect their organization’s future. Breakout sessions covering a broad range of topics will be available for attendees to choose from based on their needs, concerns and interests. Local leaders who have walked through disaster recovery and/or business contingency planning will be highlighted to encourage local networking and the exchange of promising practices.

FAMILY PREPAREDNESS FESTIVAL
Children, senior citizens, young adults, and families from all walks of life, including non-English speaking households and at-risk population centers, will learn how to prepare for disasters, what to do in emergencies, and how they can help others. Local emergency managers, government agencies, first response organizations, and businesses that sell related products and services will show area residents how to prepare themselves, their loved ones, and homes for local and regional disasters. School districts, utility companies, hospitals, and others that share responsibility to protect and care for residents during emergencies will have opportunity to share their response plans and explain their services to the public.

FOLLOW-ON ACTIONS
Throughout the campaign lifecycle, additional disaster preparedness webinars, trainings and certifications will be delivered by local experts, first response organizations and HOPE Begins Here campaign partners. Follow-On Actions deliver action steps needed to make sector and community resiliency sustainable.

For more information about H.O.P.E. Begins Here campaign please contact us.