Partnerships built to last

Healthy partnerships — like relationships — take time. From partnering with local volunteers in Texas to serve flood survivors to teaching women job skills in a program center, time is a vital ingredient in building successful connections. 

The goal through all of Convoy of Hope’s programs is to help communities get back on their feet, utilize the assets already within these communities, and provide opportunities for neighbors to help their neighbors.

This week, we are looking at all the connections that bring us together and how we can continue these strong partnerships for generations to come. 

Let’s get started.

Buckets filled with hope

The outpouring of support for the Texas floods response has been both powerful and humbling — it’s all shown that we’re stronger when we serve together.  

It has been over three weeks since catastrophic floods hit Kerrville, Hunt, San Saba, and other communities in central Texas. Convoy team members, volunteers, and the community remain committed to the cleanup and recovery process. 

This past weekend, several partners from the San Antonio area joined with Convoy of Hope to pack over 3,000 flood buckets for disaster survivors. 

These buckets are filled to the brim with essentials such as wipes, cleaning solution, bleach, paper towels, gloves, masks, scrub brushes, and more. But the main ingredient in these buckets is hope that tomorrow can be a better day. Survivors receiving them know that they are not overlooked or forgotten.

A portion of the buckets will go to the families impacted by the Texas floods, while the rest will be used for other disaster responses. As the road to recovery continues, gifts such as these flood buckets carry encouragement and kindness for the journey ahead. 

Read the latest response updates and support the people of Texas here.

Brawny brings hope

During these events and when responding to disasters, the right partner can make all the difference in getting survivors the supplies they need.

Georgia-Pacific continues to be a long-standing partner of Convoy of Hope. For over 15 years, the brand’s support and supply donations have enabled Convoy to serve hundreds of thousands of people.

Just last year, Georgia-Pacific’s Brawny donated a record-breaking 204,442 pounds of paper towel products to disaster survivors and their families. 

“At Georgia-Pacific, one of our most important values is our commitment to serving communities in need. It’s an honor to join Convoy on their mission of delivering hope and healing to families and individuals who have suffered devastating losses,” said Amanda Earley, Brawny brand director. “In times of adversity, Brawny believes in the power of summoning our strength to support those who need it most.” 

Every flood bucket packed last weekend included a roll of Brawny’s paper towels — helping with cleanup efforts on the way to providing survivors with a sense of normalcy. 

What may seem like “only” a paper towel gives those in need a reason to keep going.

Help other families see this same hope for tomorrow by supporting Convoy’s Crisis Relief Fund.

Steeped in kindness

Like a good cup of tea, change often takes time and patience, but the result is worth it.

Whether Convoy is working in the United States or in an international context, our team prioritizes building rapport and relationship with leaders and residents. 

In Moldova, it was this attention to relationships over time that led to a big transformation. 

Milana lives near a program center where Convoy is currently feeding the children meals every school day. Sometimes the children would venture into Milana’s garden when they were playing outside, which was frustrating to Milana at times. 

Convoy hosts a Women’s Empowerment group at that same program center. One of the leaders invited Milana over for tea and conversation to provide her with an opportunity to connect with other women.

Milana accepted the invite and enjoyed the camaraderie so much that she decided to allow her granddaughter to join the Children’s Feeding program. 

“My grandmother was always in a bad mood and she never smiled, but ever since she began to attend the program, something changed in her,” says Milana’s granddaughter. “It wasn’t anything in her daily routine, but in her heart. She smiles so often now.” 

Moments of transformation like this remind us that reaching out and building relationships can make a big difference. 

We should never underestimate the power of connection over a cup of tea. 

Help more women experience this empowerment and community by visiting Convoy’s Women’s Empowerment page. 

Thank you for helping make hope happen through your time and resources! Let us know what you thought of this week’s edition in the comments below. ❤️