20 Nov 2018 Gala Review: New Hope Then and Now
An Evening of Storytelling, Inspiration and Giving
On October 22nd, we hosted our annual fundraising gala at the Bombay Banquet Centre in Surrey. Based on the theme of Then and Now, we reflected on how New Hope has grown and changed as an organization and how the lives of our former and current residents have been impacted.
Then and Now
Throughout the evening, we heard heartbreaking and hopeful stories from past and current residents and New Hope staff members.
Director of Programs Mindy Kozloff kicked off the night by sharing her experience moving back to Canada from Cambodia and being welcomed wholeheartedly by the New Hope community. Whether it’s being invited daily for tea and meals in residents’ homes or wearing a homemade dress sewn by one of the residents, she feels truly embraced by the community.
Former resident Esperance shared how New Hope helped her get on her feet when she came to Vancouver from Burundi many years ago. Today, Esperance is thriving in Canada and has built a stable, fulfilled life here.
Current resident Sharif, with the help of New Hope’s Arabic translator Peter Twele, told a harrowing story of escaping Syria with his family. As he and his family were fleeing, he turned around to see a bomb dropping on his home. At New Hope, Sharif is safe with his family. He is working at a local Arabic supermarket and his children are attending school, learning English, and making friends. His wife gave birth in Canada making their baby daughter the first Canadian in the family.
Current residents Ahmad and Mohamad, who are twin brothers in the 5th grade, talked about adjusting to life in Canada. They shared their experiences flying in an airplane for the first time, learning English in Canada, and making friends at New Hope.
Lastly, Interim Executive Director Dennis Wasyliw gave an impassioned speech with the call to action to give.
Highlights of the Evening
From the powerful stories to the delicious meal to the conversations shared with friends, the night was filled with many memorable moments.
One special highlight of the evening was the premiere of a short video telling the New Hope story:
Your Impact
We sold 120 tickets this year had had 105 attendees. Next year we are hoping for even more. From the silent auction and donations during the gala, we raised $34,560 and counting!
This will have a huge impact as we continue our mission to support refugee families.
Thank You
We’d like to extend a special thanks to Shaley Hoogendoorn (Messy Beauty With Shaley — Event Planning) for her work behind the scenes to make the night possible. We’d also like to thank Jack Taylor (New Hope founder and Board Chair) for emceeing the evening. Amazing job to both of you.
And thank you to all who attended the gala and took part in the evening. We had a wonderful time and are grateful for your presence and donations. It was our pleasure to host you, and we hope to see you again at our 2019 fundraising gala.
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