One YouTuber came across a line of RVs parked neatly in rows and thought he had stumbled upon an RV show.
However, what he discovered was so much bigger and more important than that. So if you need a pick-me-up story to restore your hope in humanity, this one will do the trick.
Let’s check it out!
Retired Nurse Pays It Forward Through Eight Days of Hope
Rosel Simpson, the creator behind the YouTube channel This & Dat, was driving through Lake Charles, Louisiana, and saw a group of neatly organized RVs. While he initially thought it was an RV show, it turned out to be the group Eight Days of Hope.
In the video, Rosel chats with one of the volunteers, Deborah. She’s a retired nurse using her time and energy to help the Eight Days of Hope organization give back to the Lake Charles community. Deborah is doing the laundry for the many individuals volunteering to repair homes and build structures in the area. She’s just one piece of the puzzle helping the Lake Charles area.
While she and many others involved in the organization could be doing other things with their time, energy, and money, they’re choosing to give back. It’s inspiring to see individuals helping strangers during their time of need.
What Is Eight Days of Hope?
Eight Days of Hope is a Christian organization started in 2005. A father and son team was responding to the massive needs they saw resulting from Hurricane Katrina. However, they weren’t the only ones with the urge to serve. They quickly amassed a group of 684 volunteers who were able to help 84 families.
They’ve created infrastructures to help with rapid response efforts, feeding the hungry, and assisting survivors of human trafficking. The group lives out its mission “to love and serve those in need” by helping each person.
Since their initial efforts, the group has participated in 18 rebuilding events. While many organizations rush to the disaster scene to offer assistance, Eight Days of Hope comes months after groups have addressed the immediate needs. They arrive in the areas and help with issues including roofing, carpentry, and electrical repairs.
The organization’s President and Founder, Stephen Tybor III, shared in a letter he wrote about the impacts the group has had over the years. They’ve worked on over 8,600 homes and helped with almost 70 disasters. Where slabs of concrete once stood, homes are now standing because of the group’s efforts.
How Can You Support Eight Days of Hope?
If the mission of Eight Days of Hope interests you or you want to support their efforts, it’s easy to do. These types of organizations require a tremendous amount of money to do what they do.
Many generous people financially support groups like Eight Days of Hope. The organization states that its overhead costs are covered by some national partners. So this means any external donations go 100% towards meeting the needs of individuals in crisis.
In addition to money, they need people to volunteer at their worksites. As you can see in Rosel’s video, there’s no shortage of tasks to help with the efforts. If you’re willing and able to help, Eight Days of Hope can get you connected and in a position that fits your abilities.
Other Humanitarian Non-Profits You Can Volunteer With
Eight Days of Hope isn’t the only humanitarian non-profit group that needs volunteers. There are a couple of other well-known organizations that could use volunteers. Here are a couple you might want to check out.
Habitat For Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is another fantastic organization that works in communities in all 50 states in the United States and 70 countries worldwide. They’ve served families since 1976, when Millard and Linda Fuller started the organization.
Their vision is “building strength, stability, and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing.” They’re primarily known for helping individuals in need of housing.
One of the things that many supporters love about Habitat for Humanity is that the individuals receiving homes are a part of the building process. They work alongside the volunteers and then pay their mortgage once they finish the house.
World Central Kitchen
The World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a frontline response team during humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The group started in 2010 to meet people’s needs during their darkest hours. WCK has helped communities worldwide after hurricanes, wars, and volcanic eruptions. There’s no limit to where they’ll serve.
They’re not just sending food and dumping it on a country. They send cooks into crisis areas as soon as possible to help meet the local community’s universal human right to nutritious food.
WCK helps bring communities back together by cooking and eating together. They aim to start economic recovery as quickly as possible through food in the areas where they work. The group also hires local residents to provide them with paid work.
A Way to Give Back
We’re glad that Rosel Simpson thought to grab his camera and document what he saw. It allows us to spotlight some incredible organizations around the country that RVers and other nomads can easily help support.
Whether through your time, sweat, or financial contributions, organizations like the ones we’ve discussed here are doing tremendous work. If you’re looking for a way to give back and help others, consider volunteering with one of these groups.
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