VIDEO: Peoria-based Hope Effect bringing foster care to the world - Gilbert Independent (2024)

It’s not uncommon to hear the echoes of an overburdened foster care system in the United States. But some might not know that many developing countries do not even offer a foster care option at all, mired in a system of institutional orphanages that often cause more harm than help.

In fact, research has found that traditional institutional orphan care can cause damaging long-term physical and psychological effects — children who grow up in such environments can experience developmental delays and have difficulty forming relationships in adulthood.

However, Peoria-based The Hope Effect is working to change that by essentially making foster care available in countries where it does not exist.

The nonprofit currently works in eight cities around the world.

This year, The Hope Effect members will speak in Mexico to expand family-care for orphaned children to every state government in that country.

Last year, The Hope Effect expanded into Battambang, Cambodia, and is looking to further expand its reach in Southeast Asia in 2023, as well as actively looking for new opportunities in the U.S.

Co-founders Joe Darago and Joshua Becker said the goal of The Hope Effect is to change the way the world cares for orphans by providing family-based solutions.

“The Hope Effect is working to change how the world cares for orphans by bringing foster care to developing countries as a way of ending institutional orphanages because we believe every child deserves a family,” Darago said.

For its service to the global community, The Hope Effect has been named a Peoria Independent Hometown Hero.

The Hometown Heroes Awards are a celebration of individuals who live or teach in the city, and Peoria businesses for their achievements and distinguished contributions to the community and beyond.

The Hope Effect will be honored at an awards luncheon next year.

In partnership with the city of Peoria, Becker was interviewed by the city and aired on Channel 11.

Foster families who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to bring a child into their home without The Hope Effect say the importance of family care opposed to an orphanage is evident.

Azhael and Zenia Castro, residents of Sonora, Mexico, said they got involved with the program because they want to help, and have the desire to provide children with the love that they need.

“We learned about what foster care really was, and what it means to foster a child — providing them with a home and a family,” Azhael said. “And when we learned about the need there is, we wanted every family to open up their arms to receive each of these children so they no longer need to be in orphanages.”

The Hope Effect was founded in 2015, and has since raised more than $2 million for family-style orphan care. Last year was productive for the group — 120 kids have found families from seven cities in four countries and the nonprofit tripled the amount of families providing family care in Sonora and doubled the amount of children in family care. Some of those families have been trained and certified, but haven’t had kids placed with them yet.

The journey to ending institutionalized orphanages is accomplished by fostering one child at a time.

Sonora resident Laura Gonzalez, one of those foster parents to a child named Antonio, said a family can save an orphan.

“Antonio would not have developed the way he has if he had been in an institution. His development has been on track like any other child. Each phase has been very typical. And we know that if he had been in an institution, he wouldn’t have achieved that development,” Gonzalez said. “Something that has been brought to my attention by The Hope Effect is a phrase they always say: ‘You can’t help all of them. But you can help one.’”

Learn more about The Hope Effect here.

Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.

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