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SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 31
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Horn Farm Board Selects New Executive Director
Corine (right in left photo), a HOPE International client who lives in Zimbabwe, reacted to a loss of income due to COVID-19 by starting a bakery with other members of her savings group.
Responding To A Financial Pandemic HOPE International Plans 20th Annual Golf Tournament Jeff Rutt, founder of HOPE International, is keenly aware of the worldwide impact of COVID-19. HOPE International is a nonprofit organization that seeks to alleviate poverty in all its forms - spiritual, material, social, and personal. Over its more than 20-year history, the organization, with offices at 227 Granite Run Drive, Suite 250, Lancaster, has done that by loaning out more than $1 billion and helping to start savings groups among about a million clients in 16 countries. Now, those clients, who Rutt said are already on “fragile footing,” have been teetering on the brink. “We have been trying to pull them off that proverbial cliff edge,” said Rutt. “We have gotten some results.” HOPE has instituted a three-phase plan called Rebuilding Dreams, which first provided food and water to clients who needed it to survive. The second phase involved a 60-day interest payment holiday. That crucial step cost HOPE about $500,000 a month, for a total expenditure of $1 million. The final phase, which focuses on recapitalization of the tiny client businesses, will include at
least $2 million more from HOPE. “These client businesses are starting to reopen, but they need capital to do that,” explained Rutt. To help raise that capital, HOPE is looking for sponsors and golfers for its 20th annual golf tournament at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, 2700 Mount Rose Ave., York, on Friday, Sept. 18, beginning at 6:30 a.m. A second round will be held the same day at 1 p.m. at Iron Valley Golf Club, 201 Iron Valley Drive, Lebanon. The fundraising goal for this year’s tournament is $500,000. More information about the tournaments may be found by clicking on “Take Action” and then “Attend an Event” at www.hopeinternational.org. Those who wish to take part may email asmith@hopeinternational .org or call 717-464-3220, ext. 544. Golfers are asked to register by Friday, Sept. 11. Rutt has been impressed by the resilience of some of HOPE’s clients. “Irene in Paraguay got a small loan to start a hair salon,” he said, noting that countries like Paraguay do not offer stimulus packages. According to Rutt, Irene quickly reorganized to sewing face masks and selling them to the fam-
ilies in her community. “Irene provided a product (her neighbors) need and an income for her family,” said Rutt. “I thought that was a good example of pivoting to something she could do.” Rutt also told the story of Corine, a savings group member in Zimbabwe. He reported that Corine said, “When we saw that our savings group was suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly put our heads together and decided to start a bakery. Our plan was that it would enable us to continue to save, but now it has exceeded our expectations by allowing us to use the income to (care for) our families.” Rutt pointed out the differences between facing the pandemic in the United States and in other parts of the world. “We are the aircraft carrier, but our clients in Burundi and Malawi and Rwanda are the life rafts being crushed by the waves,” he said. “For us … it’s a challenge, but compared to what the rest of the world is living with, it’s not (as big of a struggle).” Brian Boycan, regional representative with HOPE, reported that the shutdowns around the world have resulted in crises we may not be able to imagine. “In South Asia, they announced at 8 p.m. that they would shut down at
Alexis Campbell such as the fact that the farm is permanently preserved. “Our lease was extended to 99 years, and, as of this year, all 186 acres are being managed organically. We created administrative efficiencies, diversified our income streams, grew our staff, expanded our programming and gained recognition beyond the local level for our pioneering work in regenerative agriculture.” Earl said that many volunteer hours went into renovating and See Horn Farm pg 5
A Letter From The Publisher It comes as no surprise that we continue to face many of the challenges we have experienced over the past six months. Who hasn’t used the word “uncertainty” more times than they can count? Despite this uncertainty, we have worked hard to keep our families and community safe while providing positive, creative ways to reinforce that we are in this together. We encourage you to continue sharing your stories and connecting with us on social media so we can go on spreading all the good we see in this world.
See HOPE International pg 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE LIONS SET MOVIE NIGHT . . . . . .4 EYRA LISTS PROGRAMS . . . . . . .6 HOUSE OF WORSHIP . . . . . .7 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . .9
See Letter pg 3
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The board of directors of Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education, a nonprofit corporation, recently announced that it has selected Alexis Campbell to succeed Alyson Earl as executive director. Campbell’s appointment was effective Sept. 1. Earl resigned as executive director after five years of service to the organization. Earl was the first full-time executive director of the Horn Farm Center. “With her leadership, the farm has grown in capacity, we have refined our vision as an organization and we have built a strong foundation of earth stewardship to support our mission of educating people about growing food and restoring healthy soil,” said Erin Shrader, board president. “The work that happens at the farm is the work of our time, the work of healing the land and reconnecting humans to the web of life.” “I’m proud of what this organization has accomplished since 2015, when I joined the organization,” Earl said, noting that there have been some significant milestones,