Local nonprofit, the Foundation of HOPE (Helping Others Prosper & Excel) invites the community to attend its annual gala on Saturday, December 9th at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. The event will honor local women who exhibit the qualities that the Foundation strives to instill in the girls served by the organization. The 2023 Women of HOPE award recipients are Dr. Mary DeShields, MD, the Kappa Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, the St. Mark’s Women’s Fellowship, and Lilyanna Cook.
Dr. DeShields is an accomplished oncologist who has treated patients on the Mid-Shore for more than 30 years. She is among the 3% of black women doctors in the United States. Dr. DeShields is a longtime member of the Foundation of HOPE’s Board of Directors, and a fervent advocate for the Foundation’s mission to help young girls and women lead productive lives in their communities by providing cultural, social, spiritual, and educational development.
The Kappa Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. partner with the Foundation to help provide the girls with memorable and inspiring experiences. Individual members of the sorority have visited the classroom to speak to the girls about various topics related to the Foundation’s Economic Development and Empowerment Program curriculum. In addition, the chapter sponsored a trip to the Reginald Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture and hosted Foundation of HOPE participants at their annual Cotillion event.
The St. Mark’s Women’s Fellowship is one of the Foundation’s earliest partners, having provided funding for the Economic Development and Empowerment Program since its inception in 2017. Support received from the St. Mark’s Women has helped enable six cohorts to graduate from the program in the intervening years.
Lilyanna Cook is a member of the inaugural cohort of the Economic Development and Empowerment Program. The tools and skills she learned in the program helped her to excel in school and inspired her to want to become an educator. She graduated from Easton High School in May, and is currently attending Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, and is studying to become a Secondary Math Teacher. Lilyanna is the first-ever Foundation of HOPE college scholarship recipient.
Gala registration is open through Tuesday, November 28th. Tickets are $150 per person and include a sit-down dinner and dancing. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on exciting prizes, including an overnight stay at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay with two rounds of golf, a pearl and diamond necklace, a $500 gift card to Nelson Coleman Jewelers, and much more. Those wishing to purchase tickets can visit FoundationofHopeMaryland.org or contact [email protected].
The Foundation of HOPE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young girls and women lead productive lives in their communities by providing cultural, social, spiritual, and educational development. The program serves girls in sixth grade attending Middle School, with a goal of teaching them to be viable contributors to the future workforce. The program covers topics including addressing low self-esteem, bullying, social media, workforce development, economic and community development, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and more.
The Foundation is currently raising money to build the HOPE Center, which will be located in Easton, MD, and will provide services and programming for the entire Easton community. To learn more, register your child, or make a donation, visit FoundationfHopeMaryland.org.
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