Sweet Hope was founded in 2011 as a nonprofit organization originally based in Lakewood, Colorado. It was created by my husband and me after a life-changing mission trip to the Dominican Republic that we took with two of our daughters, who were 13 and 9 at the time, and my mother. Today, Sweet Hope is proudly based in Miramar, Florida, where we continue to grow the mission and focus on helping those in need both locally and beyond.

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This was not a typical mission trip. It was what our leaders called a “vision trip.” Our purpose was not simply to serve for a few days, but to open our eyes, listen, and truly understand the realities of life for the people living there. During that week, we witnessed some of the most poverty-stricken communities we had ever seen. Families were living in areas surrounded by contaminated water. Children had little to no clothing. We saw young girls—barely older than our oldest daughter—already caring for babies of their own. We met mothers doing everything they could to create a better life for their families, whether that meant making coal, selling small goods, or trying to start tiny neighborhood businesses in their barrios and bateys.

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At the same time, we also saw incredible strength and resilience. We watched local families working alongside missionaries and community leaders who were dedicated to helping people lift themselves out of poverty. Seeing both the hardship and the determination of the people we met changed us in ways we could not ignore. By the time we returned home after that week, we knew we could not simply go back to life as usual. Even if we couldn’t change the world, we believed we could help change one person’s world—and that would be enough.

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When we returned to the United States, we didn’t immediately know how we would help. We didn’t have additional resources or extra time, but we did have faith. We prayed for guidance and clarity, asking God to show us how we could make a difference for those who have far less than we do. Living in the United States, it’s easy to forget how fortunate we are. We have clean water that comes directly from a faucet, food in our homes, and the ability to take a shower every day. Many people in the Dominican Republic do not have those basic necessities. Some families eat only once a day, and even then, it is often just rice and, if they are fortunate, beans. Meat is something many families are only able to have occasionally.

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One moment from the trip has stayed with me ever since. As we arrived, our mission leader said something simple but incredibly powerful: “We are not better than the people of the Dominican Republic. The only difference between them and us is that we won the birth lottery.” That statement resonated deeply with me. I was born in Vietnam at the end of the war, and my life could have turned out very differently. Instead, I was adopted by my mother, who gave me opportunities I might never have had otherwise. Because of her, I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world. That realization strengthened my belief that we had a responsibility to help others whenever we could.

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With that purpose in mind, Sweet Hope was created. Our goal from the very beginning was to support families and communities in need, starting in Gualey in the Dominican Republic and eventually expanding wherever help was needed. We committed to supporting local churches, community organizations, and individuals who were already working to improve their communities. To fund this mission, Sweet Hope began through simple fundraising efforts with friends, family, and the businesses and people who felt called to support the work.

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Over the years, our vision has continued to grow. While our original focus was on helping families in the Dominican Republic, Sweet Hope has also expanded to support people in our own communities as our family has grown and relocated. Now based in Miramar, Florida, we are especially focused on helping those in need closer to home, including individuals and families in our own neighborhoods throughout South Florida.

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The mission has always remained the same: to bring hope, support, and practical help to those who need it most—and to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life, one person at a time.

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