“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
Senator Robert F. Kennedy Day of Affirmation speech to young people in Cape Town, South Africa in 1966
Ripplesof Hopewasfoundedin2009 by KristenAtwood.Asthe daughterof aministerandfrom abig family,Kristenhasalwaysbeen committedtobringing peopletogetherforacommonpurposeand cause.Asayoung adult,sheparticipatedinalife-changing experience, CrossRoadsAfrica,whereshedevelopedadeep commitment-- atthe heightof Apartheid-- tothevisionof afreeandnon-racial South Africa.Shevisitedmany timesthereafter,evenhaving herself surreptitiously broughtintopartsof SouthAfricawherewhitepeople werenotallowedtovisit.Inlateryears,togetherwithherCity Year colleagueJenniferEplettReilly,Kristenwouldplay acritical roleinthe founding andbuilding of City YearSouthAfrica.
Uponhearing thevisionforwhatwouldbecomethestartup of City Year,anational youthservicecorps,ataconferenceatBrown University in1988,KristenjoinedtheCity Yearteam asafounding staff member,recruiting thefirstseveral yearsof diversecorpsmembers foranorganizationthatwouldbecomealeading model forthe inspirationof AmeriCorps.Deeply committedtoprojectsthatunite people,buildcommunity andpromotejustice,KristenfoundedRipples of Hope,leading civically inspiring journeystoSouthAfrica,Haitiand India,andservicejourneyshereintheUS inherhometownof Boston andinNewOrleansfollowing thedevastating impactof Hurricane Katrina.
In2022,theRipplesof HopeInternational Fellowship waslaunched withyoung leadersfrom SouthAfricaandtheUnitedStates.In2024, RippleslaunchedtheLekgotlaJourney,bringing togetherestablished civicleadersfrom all sectorscommittedtobuilding amorejustand inclusivesociety tojoinandsupporttheFellowswiththeirvisionand work.
In2024,Ripplesof HopeannouncedthatCindy Laba,founderof BeaconAcademy,joinedtheorganizationasitsfirstExecutiveDirector andthatJenniferEplettReilly,hasjoinedtheboardof directorsas ViceChair.
RipplesofHopeisbuilttoputintoactionthechallengepresentedby RobertKennedyinSouthAfricain1966:tostandupforanideal,to acttoimprovethelotofothers,andtostrikeoutagainstinjustice.By collaboratingwithindividualsandorganizationsfromallsectors–public,private,andnonprofit–weworktobuildanetworkofsupport andinnovationthataddressesthechallengesfacingourcommunities, nationandworld.
OurworkisorganizedaroundourthreecentralPillarsofPurpose:
We believe that investing in leaders and the leaders is essential to positive social change and progress. We cultivate a cadre of people who embody the spirit of humility, integrity, and responsibility – and are called to courageous action. By providing them with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities necessary to develop their skills, they become community builders and agents of positive change. The investment in their potential is an investment in a brighter, more connected, and more just future for all.
Ripples of Ho ples of Hope
Fellowship engages young leaders from the United States and South Africa in a year-long cohort experience of learning across boundaries and builds a values-driven pipeline of social entrepreneurs. Selected fellows commit to a year of monthly virtual workshops, two intensive cultural immersions in the U.S. and in South Africa, and regular meetings with a personalized coach. As a result, fellows become a part of a lifelong international learning community composed of educators, activists, and social change agents with diverse life experiences from all walks of life and backgrounds.
We seek to build a beloved community in the spirit of the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An inclusive community built on shared purpose encourages collaboration and unity and addresses social inequalities and injustices. We center our community building activities on sharing experiences dedicated to the common good and engaging in respectful dialogue that promotes empathy understanding and common cause.
g ys: We engage people in meaningful, often lifechanging, journeys of purpose, goodwill, and service in the U.S. and across the globe. We call them “Lekgotla” journey’s after the SoutH African concept of a gathering of wise, thoughtful leaders with sharp minds and big hearts. Our Lekgotla programs emphasize education and curiosity, rather than traditional tourism, and encourage participants to explore new ideas and perspectives. Our journeys often include humanitarian and physical service initiatives that have made a difference in communities facing various challenges. Our destinations have included New Orleans, Boston, Haiti, India, the Bahamas, and South Africa. To ensure our journeys unite a diverse cadre of participants from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, we offer discounted levels of participation fees.
In Spring 2025, we will be embarking on a Lekgotla Journey to New Orleans.
We seek to put the ripples of hope effect that Robert Kennedy spoke of into practice and to amplify its impact. The ripples of hope effect serves as a powerful reminder that our actions -- and interactions -- can create waves of impact, and inspire others to take action. When one person creates a “ripple” it can inspire others to follow suit, leading to a cascade of similar actions within oneself or a community. To promote the ripples of hope effect, we provide a platform for dialogue, connection and commitment and expose our diverse community to inspiring people and ideas.
Joyous Community Building Events and Fundraisers: We host vibrant community-building events that foster relationships, celebrate diversity, enhance connections, and raise funds for community-based organizations. These events foster a sense of collective purpose, allowing participants to learn more about, support and engage with the Ripples of Hope extended community. For example, our annual Turkey Trot road race engages 2,000 participants and distributes more than $30,000 annually to vital community-based organizations.
Asa501(c)3nonprofitorganization,RipplesofHopesissupportedby generousgiftsandgrantsfromphilanthropies,corporationsand philanthropicindividualsandfamilies.
Launchedin2024,theUbuntuCircleisournewmajorgiftprogram, unitingacommunityofengagedandthoughtfuldonorswhomakean annualcommitmenttosupportthevitalworkofRipplesofHope.Our goalistoraise$525,000inannualdonationsfromthisveryspecial communityofphilanthropicfamilies.
TheUbuntuCircleGivingLevelsareasfollows:
MembersofTheUbuntuCircleareprovidedwithspecial opportunitiesforservice,speakersandjourneys.Allphilanthropic familieswhomakeathree-yearpledgetotheUbuntuCirclebefore January1,2026willbedesignatedasFounderMembers.
RipplesofHopeispoweredbysignificantvolunteerenergies andwewelcomeyoutojoinus!
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KristenAtwood,Founder&Chair
CityYearFoundingStaffMember
JenniferEplettReilly,ViceChair
AdvancedLeadershipFellow,HarvardUniversity Co-Founder,CityYear;Co-Founder,EchoingGreenFellowship
HollyBonomo
FormerCommunityServiceCoordinatoratNoble&GreenoughSchool
VanessaKirsch
AdvancedLeadershipFellow,HarvardUniversity Founder,NewProfit;Founder,PublicAllies
CindyLaba,ExecutiveDirector
SamanthaHaDiMuzio,FellowshipProgramLead DirectorofLocal&RegionalPartnerships&Programs,DickinsonCollege
ArianeHoy,AlumniProgram&USImmersionLead VicePresident,TheCorella&BertramF.BonnerFoundation
AlettaSmith,FellowshipDean
PostGraduateDegreeCandidate,UniversityofCapeTown
DanielleWest,Operations&DesignLead
SpecialEducation/ESLTeacher,BostonPublicSchools