Regional Director’s Message

I still remember my very first time visiting an NPH home, back in 2010. NPH’s Director of Family Services, Donna Egge and I took a group of sponsors and donors from the Northwest to Rancho Santa Fe in Honduras. I met my goddaughter on that trip, and made long lasting friendships with my fellow travelers and the NPH staff and volunteers we encountered. I was so inspired by what I witnessed and came home full of energy to help NPH continue its mission and grow into the future. It’s still one of our greatest joys to introduce new friends to NPH and to travel back to the homes with longtime supporters and old friends. With that in mind, we were thrilled to welcome four groups from the Northwest to NPH this summer. We are very grateful to groups from Bishop Blanchet High School, Eastside Catholic School and St. James Cathedral for spending your precious time and resources to visit our children. (Click here for an inspired story by St. James trip participant, Lisa Casterella.) Thanks, too, to the travelers who spent a week at NPH Guatemala with Donna and Ross Egge. We love hearing about your experiences and we are very pleased to share some of your reflections and photos this month.

Earlier this year, NPH USA received a significant bequest from a longtime donor here in the Northwest. While donors and sponsors who make monthly or annual contributions to NPH are the backbone of our community of supporters, it is amazing to see the impact one person or family can have on NPH’s work and on the lives of our children simply by including NPH USA in their estate planning. Indeed, planned giving can offer an opportunity to leave a legacy that continues your generosity during our lifetime or even when after we are gone. In fact, there are more than 75 Northwest donors who have already included NPH in their planned giving (one pictured right)! I would like to invite you to join us for an informational session with the experts on September 19 from 6-7:30pm here in Bellevue. Miguel Venegas, the Executive Director of NPH International will be there, and our guest speaker will be Ken Hart, an NPH supporter and the CEO of Cornerstone Advisors wealth management firm. Other NPH supporters who have included NPH in their estate plans will share a bit about how and why they decided to participate. This is a no-pressure event simply to get your questions answered and learn about options available to you. We’ll have appetizers and drinks – it should be a fun evening!

We have several other inspiring and fun events planned for the fall as well. Please join us!

· September 9 – Associate Board Tailgate for NPH at the UW Husky Football Game

· September 15 – Spokane House Party, featuring Dr. Merlin Antúnez from NPH Honduras

· September 19 – Planned Giving Informational Session in Bellevue, 6-7:30pm.

· November 4 – NPH USA Northwest Gala Dinner and Auction at Newcastle

We would love to connect with you 1:1 before the summer’s over to update you on what’s happening with your godchildren, at NPH, or here in the Northwest. Please give us a call or drop us a line so that we may find a time to meet for coffee, lunch, or even a walk. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the rest of your summer with your friends and family. Thank you again so much for your support!

With gratitude,

Katie Hultquist