VIDEO: Peoria-based Hope Effect bringing foster care to the world
Organization named Hometown Hero
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How to nominate
Know somebody in Peoria who should be recognized as a Hometown Hero? Here is how to do it.
Email: Send your nomination to aznews@iniusa.org, or fill out this nomination form yourvalley.net/hh-nomination/index.html.
After that: the nomination will be reviewed, and monthly winners will be selected based on their community contributions. Nominations should include name, email address and phone number along with the category of nomination, some details about the person being nominated and what accomplishments they have done.
More information
For more information about The Hope Effect and its founders, go to yourvalley.net/peoria-independent/peoria_hometown_heroes.
It’s not uncommon to hear the echoes of an overburdened foster care system in the United States. But some might not know that many developing countries do not even offer a foster care option at all, mired in a system of institutional orphanages that often cause more harm than help.
However, Peoria-based The Hope Effect is working to change that by essentially making foster care available in countries where it does not exist.
The nonprofit currently works in eight cities around the world.
This year, The Hope Effect members will speak in Mexico to expand family-care for orphaned children to every state government in that country.
Last year, The Hope Effect expanded into Battambang, Cambodia, and is looking to further expand its reach in Southeast Asia in 2023, as well as actively looking for new opportunities in the U.S.
Co-founders Joe Darago and Joshua Becker said the goal of The Hope Effect is to change the way the world cares for orphans by providing family-based solutions.
“The Hope Effect is working to change how the world cares for orphans by bringing foster care to developing countries as a way of ending institutional orphanages because we believe every child deserves a family,” Darago said.
For its service to the global community, The Hope Effect has been named a Peoria Independent Hometown Hero.
The Hometown Heroes Awards are a celebration of individuals who live or teach in the city, and Peoria businesses for their achievements and distinguished contributions to the community and beyond.
The Hope Effect will be honored at an awards luncheon next year.
In partnership with the city of Peoria, Becker was interviewed by the city and aired on Channel 11.
Foster families who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to bring a child into their home without The Hope Effect say the importance of family care opposed to an orphanage is evident.
Azhael and Zenia Castro, residents of Sonora, Mexico, said they got involved with the program because they want to help, and have the desire to provide children with the love that they need.
“We learned about what foster care really was, and what it means to foster a child — providing them with a home and a family,” Azhael said. “And when we learned about the need there is, we wanted every family to open up their arms to receive each of these children so they no longer need to be in orphanages.”
The Hope Effect was founded in 2015, and has since raised more than $2 million for family-style orphan care. Last year was productive for the group — 120 kids have found families from seven cities in four countries and the nonprofit tripled the amount of families providing family care in Sonora and doubled the amount of children in family care. Some of those families have been trained and certified, but haven’t had kids placed with them yet.
The journey to ending institutionalized orphanages is accomplished by fostering one child at a time.
Sonora resident Laura Gonzalez, one of those foster parents to a child named Antonio, said a family can save an orphan.
“Antonio would not have developed the way he has if he had been in an institution. His development has been on track like any other child. Each phase has been very typical. And we know that if he had been in an institution, he wouldn’t have achieved that development,” Gonzalez said. “Something that has been brought to my attention by The Hope Effect is a phrase they always say: ‘You can’t help all of them. But you can help one.’”
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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