I love to read, and I read pretty much whenever I have spare time. I love to be caught up in a good novel. In May of 2008, I decided I would read a book called Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. This book outlined their ministry (The Rebelution) and urged kids to get more involved in their government and communities. They showcased some teen-run charities, out of five or so organizations one stuck out to me. This organization was Hope to Others, or H2O.

H2O’s mission is to help the homeless in America. Right after I finished reading (I couldn’t put it down! I would highly suggest reading it), I looked up Hope to Others, and found their blog on the internet. I wrote and sent a e-mail to Hope to Others, and got an immediate response from the Reavley sisters, the founders of the organization. They informed me how I could help and how I could make a difference.

I pondered this opportunity for about four months before I could do anything with it. I was going to start my own chapter, but it wasn’t that realistic. I suggested it as a community service project for a club I’m a part of and it was quickly excepted and put into action. About a month or so after I suggested the idea we had a big fundraising event for Hope to Others.

H2O fulfills it’s mission through H2O bags, which are homemade bag filled with all kinds of goodies. They are filled with water bottles, tuna fish and crackers, granola bars, and a couple other things including a gospel tract. After the assembly, you give away the bag when you see the need arise. Generally, you can purchase them for a small donation fee, but there is no set price for the bags.

Now that you know about the organization, I would like to expound on what I did. It started from a theoretical plan of starting my own H2O chapter and making and dispersing bags. But then it slowly materialized, to me coordinating a carnival, buying supplies, and then to becoming the North East Florida Chapter Founder and Chairwoman. I have been able to speak about H2O on the community platform many times, and it’s a great experience to share this wonderful, life-changing organization with my community.

But there is one twist to this story, despite my volunteering with this organization for almost one year, I have yet to meet the founders other than over the internet. Leslie and Lauren Reavley are located in Portland, Oregon. I’m on the other side of the country! Despite the expanse of country between us, we have been able to talk about the organization and what God is doing in it.

So what started out as following what I love to do, reading, ended up in my personal discovery of Hope to Others. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone to get involved in. The goal that H2O is following and promoting and their personal wish, is to spread hope to others, one bag at a time.