​All of us here at Foundation of Hope wish you and your family and friends had a safe, enjoyable Christmas holiday. The ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 certainly have made it difficult for many of us to travel and enjoy the same holiday get-togethers and reunions, so we’d like to once again ask for your personal experience and reflections, both related to Christmas Day as well as the close of the year 2020.
 
We welcome your messages here, be they messages of struggle, of hope, or a combination of the two. Foundation of Hope and all its endeavors are made possible by community engagement and support, and we continue to encourage an ongoing dialogue with our community members.
 
Please feel free to share your thoughts with us, either by emailing Foundation of Hope’s publicist Katharine Booth at katharine@foundationofhope.us, or by posting to our Facebook and Instagram pages, at Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope and Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.
 
Thank you.
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

As we at Foundation of Hope continue to look for ways to engage with our community, we’d like to wish you a happy Christmas Eve, and ask you what your plans are for Christmas Eve 2020.
 
How do you plan on celebrating Christmas Eve? Whether you observe the holiday religiously or with secular traditions, we’d love to hear your thoughts and perspective on this very unusual holiday season.
 
We have all faced great challenges this year, and the Christmas holiday is particularly significant for a large swathe of people in our nation and around the world. How are you staying in touch with your family? What struggles, and messages of hope would you like to send out to your local community and beyond?
 
As always, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by emailing Foundation of Hope’s publicist Katharine Booth at katharine@foundationofhope.us, or by posting to our Facebook and Instagram pages, at Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope and Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.
 
Thank you.
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

This year, Hanukkah will begin on the evening of Thursday, December 10th, with the first full day being December 11th. Hanukkah will end on the evening of Friday, December 18th.
 
This is an annual Jewish celebration that’s observed for eight nights and days, dating back to the second century B.C. This event is significant, as it remembers the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
 
The holiday is celebrated in part by the nightly lighting of the menorah. Each night one candle of the menorah is lit, so that by the eighth night all candles of the menorah have been lit.
 
Also associated with Hanukkah are traditional meals, gift-giving and games.
 
How do you plan on celebrating? How might your celebration this year differ from years past? And what traditions are you continuing this year?
 
Please feel free to share your thoughts with us, by emailing Foundation of Hope’s publicist Katharine Booth at katharine@foundationofhope.us.
Also, you can post to our Facebook and Instagram pages:
Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope
Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope
 
We wish you a happy, safe and healthy holiday. Thank you!
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

Monday, December 7th, will be National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. This day is meant to remind us all of the 2,403 lives tragically lost during the 1941 attack on the Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941.
 
This year, an event commemorating the day will be held on December 7th at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. This year, the ceremony will be closed to the public, open for Pearl Harbor survivors and World War II veterans. This event will be live streamed for the public through the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PearlHarborNPS.
 
Do you have a loved one or know someone impacted by the attack on Pearl Harbor? We encourage you to share your thoughts, as we at Foundation of Hope continue to support community through active dialogue and engagement.
 
Please share your story, by emailing katharine@foundationofhope.us, or by commenting on Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope or Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.

Thank you.
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

Capping the end of November, which is Native American Heritage Month, the Friday after Thanksgiving is Native American Heritage Day. This year, this took place on November 27th.
 
Both the month and the official day observance serve as opportunities and reminders to recognize, self-educate and appreciate the multiple cultures and traditions throughout the Native American population. This is also important, as many Native American communities face unique challenges, in general as well as during the current pandemic crisis.
 
As we note the close of the month and the passing of Native American Heritage Day, we’d love to hear from you—what does this day (and the month) mean for you? Did you celebrate in a particular way? Please let us know, by emailing katharine@foundationofhope.us or commenting on Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope or Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.

Foundation of Hope is committed to building and advocating for our community. We would love to hear your perspective and your stories related to Native American Heritage Day and month, to further foster ongoing dialogue amongst us all.
 
Thank you.
Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

Today, December 1st, marks the annual Rosa Parks day. On December 1, 1955, civil rights icon Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man and move to the back of the bus, defying what was back then an all-too-common convention of racial segregation in every day life.
 
Her bravery and steadfastness absolutely deserve to be remembered, especially given the ongoing struggles against racial discrimination facing our country sixty-five years later.
 
As Foundation of Hope strives to facilitate community, dialogue, and equitable treatment of every one of our community members, we would like to hear your take on Rosa Parks day.
 
What does Rosa Parks day mean to you, personally and/or in the context of issues of racial discrimination we still see today?
 
Please share your thoughts with us, by emailing Foundation of Hope’s publicist Katharine Booth at katharine@foundationofhope.us, or by posting to our Facebook and Instagram pages, at Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope and Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.

We thank you for your story, your input, as we both remember the bravery of Rosa Parks and look ahead to how best to continue her work to fight racial discrimination.
 
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist

To our amazing team, supporters, and family, we hope you had a safe, and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. We could not be more grateful for everyone that’s a part of the broader Foundation of Hope community. After all, Foundation of Hope is, first and foremost, driven by a desire to provide support to our community members.
 
Whether you’re a part of the Foundation of Hope team, family or supporter of the Hope-filled work we do, we’d love to hear how you celebrated Thanksgiving this year.
 
What did Thanksgiving this year look like for you? In this trying and unconventional year, we’d like to hear from you—your message of hope or struggle, your conventional or unconventional Thanksgiving celebration.
 
Please share your story with us, either by emailing Foundation of Hope’s publicist Katharine Booth at katharine@foundationofhope.us, or by posting to our Facebook and Instagram pages, at Facebook.com/TheFoundationofHope and Instagram.com/TheFoundationofHope.

Be safe, be healthy, and thank you!
 
Written by Katharine Booth, Foundation of Hope publicist