West and South Area

Regional Director’s Message

It’s finally spring in Seattle – the daffodils and cherry blossom trees are blooming at last! I hope you are seeing a few glimpses of spring in your neck of the woods, too. What a busy spring it has been! We are feeling especially inspired and thankful right now, after the success of our annual Faces of Hope luncheon in Bellevue on March 24. With your support, we raised more than $130,000 to support the schools and educational programs of NPH! We are especially grateful to NPH International Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Hoyt; Director of Special Education at NPH Guatemala, Katie Hoyt; and Director of the Montessori Programs at NPH Honduras, Digyana Hernandez, for their dedication and for sharing their impressive work with us. And the testimonials of NPH Seattle Institute student Roxana and her host mom, Christina Buchholz, were both moving and inspiring. Thanks so much to the 275 donors who joined us, as well as our matching fund donors, table captains, and volunteers – your commitment means to much to us and makes a huge difference for our children. If you attended Faces of Hope, please fill out our event survey – your feedback is very important to us. If you missed the luncheon, please watch the video we shared about education at NPH, and consider joining our “virtual table” of hope by making a donation to give our children the opportunity for a better life. Here are a few of the magical moments from the luncheon:

“NPH commits to educating underprivileged children from our communities and preparing our students to be compassionate, productive, and responsible community members. We believe in educating each child to develop their own goals and instilling in them a sense of security that empowers them to reach it.”
– Christopher Hoyt, Chief Operating Officer, NPH International

“I became a teacher to be part of the solution for the many children who do not have the opportunity to go to school in our countries. At NPH, I have the opportunity to break that cycle of poverty. I enjoy creating a place that allows our children to restore their dreams, their faith, their hope, and their lives.”
– Digyana Hernandez, Director of Montessori Program, NPH Honduras

“NPH is a big and great family, where it is not just about each person; it is about ALL of us. It is where the impossible is made possible. Where dreams can become real. At NPH, I feel like I was born again. I want to invite you to come visit us! See for yourself what your support can do. COME! Make memories with us!”
– Roxana Escobar, NPH El Salvador

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Beyond Faces of Hope, there are many opportunities to connect with NPH this spring, and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events:

  • If you live in the Portland area, please join us on April 22 for the Cheers for Children Portland event at a local brewpub to benefit NPH. Come gather with other NPH supporters in the area and learn about our programs in Honduras and beyond. Meet the NPH students living and studying English and leadership here in the Northwest this year. We would love to see you!
  • Save the date for Seattle’s annual GiveBIG day of online giving on May 10, sponsored by the Seattle Foundation. You can make donations from anywhere in the U.S., and this year you can even schedule your donation to NPH USA in advance. Stay tuned for details and exciting news about our matching fund soon!
  • Come play golf at our third annual NPH USA NW Golf Classic on June 1 at Newcastle. We’ll be playing on two courses with games, food trucks and beverages aplenty, followed by an awards banquet to finish the day. Register as a corporate sponsor or foursome, or sign up as an individual player today! You can even join us for the awards banquet if you aren’t a golfer.
  • Sign up for our trip to NPH Guatemala July 1-7, 2017, led by NPH’s Director of Family Services, Donna Egge, and Northwest Development Manager Ross Egge, who recently returned from an 11-year stint working in the NPH homes. This will be a special opportunity to visit one of our most beautiful homes, with the guidance of Northwest natives and NPH experts! You can also tack on a couple of days to visit Antigua and other sites before heading back to the U.S. If you live in the Seattle area, join us for a trip interest meeting at our Bellevue office on Monday, April 17th at 6:00pm.

We also look forward to partnering with many businesses, schools and faith communities in the coming months, and to working with all of you, as we join together to transform the lives of the children at NPH and beyond. We always welcome your calls and visits to our office, and we love meeting our donors for coffee, lunch, even a walk. Please feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions, concerns, feedback – or just to say hello.

With gratitude,

Katie Hultquist