Hoops 4 Hope http://www.hoopsafrica.org Helping African communities help themselves Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:26:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 H4H Surfs! http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2013/01/h4h-surfs/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2013/01/h4h-surfs/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:42:20 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1239 H4H supports Isiqalo or ‘Waves for Change,’ a grassroots organization in Cape Town, South Africa who was a Beyond Sport winner in 2012!

 Five beautifully painted art surfboards were commissioned by Wavescape in South Africa and brought to NY for our annual summer benefit to help raise needed funds to sustain both H4H and Isiqalo’s amazing programs!

 Like H4H’s basketball and soccer programs, surfing is a unique vehicle being used to build new leaders and educate youth with the skills to succeed! utf-8''IMG_4437 utf-8''IMG_4423 utf-8''IMG_4417 fishboard

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2013/01/h4h-surfs/feed/ 0 Fun-Raising 2012! http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/fun-raising-2012/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/fun-raising-2012/#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2012 17:22:07 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1232 This year Hoops 4 Hope USA and our extended global family have done so much to raise funds to sustain our programs, and fun!

Our 14th Annual Summer Benefit was generously co-hosted by the Kazickas and Koepp families in Amagansett, NY. The successful event featured live music, fire dancers, and a South African art surfboard auction that raised $45,000 to help sustain our valuable programs in Africa.

Also in the Hampton’s, H4H supporters rolled up their sleeves and grabbed sponges to host a Car Wash that raised $800 in just 4 hours.

An amazing young woman Eva R. devoted her Bat Mitzvah this fall to helping various organizations and raised $1800 for H4H from her special friends and family.  A personal letter of appreciation was read at her ceremony from David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA! utf-8''IMG_7404 utf-8''IMG_7360 utf-8''IMG_7228

 

Alex S. and Jenson R., two young social entrepreneurs used their salesmanship to sell lemonade and H4H bracelets to help sustain programs for great kids just like them in Africa.

The International School of Brussels staff and students, led by Athletic Director Jason Baseden who was a former intern a decade ago, raised over $3000 during their recent Soccer 4 Hope weekend. ISB has traveled to Cape Town, South Africa to participate in H4H programs for the last 2 years and are returning in February 2013.

This letter of the month below says it all!

“Dear H4H,

I want to thank you for running such an incredible organization. Enclosed is a cheque raised through tournaments and fundraisers that I sponsored or helped out with. This is my first donation but definitely not the last! Keep up the great work you are doing and I look forward to hearing about your accomplishments.”

Sincerely,

Rob Bergen

We would like to thank all of the members of the Hoops4Hope family who helped us with our fundraising projects this year. We really appreciate all of your continued efforts and dedication in order to keep Hoops4Hope sustainable for the future.

 

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/fun-raising-2012/feed/ 0 Hoops4Hope at Syracuse University http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/hoops4hope-visits-syracuse-university/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/hoops4hope-visits-syracuse-university/#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:39:40 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1226 At Syracuse University, H4H helped develop an Event Promotions class with 33 students working all semester to create promotional strategies to support the grassroots organization. Overseen by H4H’s newest supporter, Professor Dr. Bonnie Everhart, theories learned in the classroom are being brought to reality with the help of her eager students, aided by incentives from Carmelo Anthony, one of SU’s most famous hoops alumni, courtesy of the NY Knicks.

Some of the projects presented by the students included a live World Aids Day 2013 telecast concert from South Africa with world famous guests, a Gaming 4 Hope grassroots competitive video game platform, as well as ‘Ball 4 Cuse,’ which would bring back alumni basketball players with Ubuntu for an annual 3 on 3 tournament to support local and global causes for children!

Logan W, a very passionate student of Dr. Everhart’s, said that “…although recognition and praise back home is significant, it does not compare to what it actually provides the kids.” photo 1 photo 2 photo 3

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/12/hoops4hope-visits-syracuse-university/feed/ 0 Sneakerology and H4H at EHMS http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/05/sneakerology-and-h4h-at-ehms/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/05/sneakerology-and-h4h-at-ehms/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 19:51:39 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1218 Sneakerology supports Hoops 4 Hope and the East Hampton Middle School Health Fair! Come by their East Hampton store to see H4H’s collection of signed, Celtics sneakers. . .from Paul Pierce’s, to Shaq’s, to  Kendrick Perkins. . .and find out how to help kids in Africa through sport!

   

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/05/sneakerology-and-h4h-at-ehms/feed/ 0 H4H Mentioned in Cape Talk Interview http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/05/h4h-mentioned-in-cape-talk-interview/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/05/h4h-mentioned-in-cape-talk-interview/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 14:42:26 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1217 On May 15th, H4H received some great press coverage, courtesy of our friend and partner Amy Bell Mulaudzi, Public Affairs Specialist from the United States Consulate General in Cape Town, South Africa.  Michelle and Barack Obama were awarded the key to the City of Cape Town by their Mayor, joining the ranks of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu!  The US Ambassador to South Africa, Robert Gips, extended an invitation to Mr. Obama, the First Lady and anyone else to visit Hoops 4 Hope in Cape Town, “a great program working with kids where his son worked last summer in the Cape Flats!”

 

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Soccer 4 Hope would like to sincerely thank Tim Pezaro and the community youth soccer club VUFC from Vancouver, Canada for the recent donation of uniforms jerseys. We would also like to thank to Right to Play for the initial connection! Seen in yellow are the Wolves United Boys Team!

 

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/soccer-4-hope-donations/feed/ 0 H4H Does Broadway! http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-does-broadway/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-does-broadway/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:11:57 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1195

On Tuesday, April 24th, Team Hoops 4 Hope and many of its NYC based champions spent the evening on Broadway! After a compelling production of Magic Bird, we were treated to a powerful talk-back session with cast and crew, allowing the audience to get up close and personal with the actors.

East Hampton High Bonac ballers Thomas King and Thomas Nelson, his dad LC, and Howard Wood were just some of the guests of the evening. Thanks to all of our local Board Members, champions young and old, and new H4H supporters for attending and making this a successful spring fundraiser!

   

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-does-broadway/feed/ 0 1 Dream Foundation to Cape Town http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/1-dream-foundation-to-cape-town/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/1-dream-foundation-to-cape-town/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:23:34 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1199 The 2012 One Dream Foundation trip to Cape Town 2012

April 12th, Crossroad Cape Town,

Crossroad Multipurpose Center- Again this year, the Hoops 4 Hope program was thrilled and excited to host the One Dream Foundation USA Team, including Tom Mott, organizational Director.  The One Dream Foundation traveled to Cape Town for another eventful program filled with shared skills and motivation. Remarkably, this is their fourth consecutive year.

This year the One Dream Foundation group consisted of 26 dedicated coaches.  They spent valuable time conducting advanced coaching clinics for beginners and advanced South African youth players.  The group of players came from the nearby Nyanga Township and Crossroad.

Among the coaches, we watched NCAA class of 2013 top USA recruit Alyson Bebee. Alyson was recruited by the Stanford University Women’s Basketball Team. Naturally, the youth automatically gravitated around Alyson and her ability to coach.  Equally, the youth were thrilled to rotate through skills development stations. The day program ended with a very exciting and competitive game, consisting of two local teams coached by very competitive international coaches.

 

]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/1-dream-foundation-to-cape-town/feed/ 0 H4H Reflects on Francisca’s Journey http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-reflects-on-franciscas-journey/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-reflects-on-franciscas-journey/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:36:08 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1168 Written by Ngoni Mukukula
This Exchange Visitor almost never made it to the USA. . .
When Mark Crandall met Michael Brookes, a Public Diplomacy Officer in the Embassy of the United States in Harare, at a Summit in South Africa in December of 2011, little did they know their meeting would positively impact on the life of Francisca Sekete, a poor girl from an unknown and underprivileged  community of Dzivarasekwa in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Inside a month after their meeting, Michael invited our Harare office for a meeting to ascertain areas of possible cooperation between the Embassy and Hoops 4 Hope Operations in Zimbabwe. Yoni Marmostein and myself put together a 7 minute presentation. At the time of the meeting it appeared to me that Mark had done a great job selling Hoops 4 Hope to Michael. A lot of issues were discussed including the possibility of sending a girl from Zimbabwe to the USA as an Exchange Visitor. That idea sounded so remote to me but I followed up on it two weeks after our meeting.
We short listed 4 girls, and in the end Francisca, who won the once- in -a -life -time -chance to travel the USA  – her dream country. The teenager was over joyed.  I helped her to apply for her Visa and she booked for her appointment. The day for the interview came and I found myself at the USA Embassy on the day of her appointment with the Consular. I wished her well as she joined others going inside. Before I could leave she came back quickly and said, ‘ I forgot my passport at home’. I was a little upset with her but then I thought it was not the time for that. She made a phone call to her parents and they started looking for her passport back home. An hour passed and the call to say we found it did not come. Before we knew it, the business day came to an end and her parents had turned their place upside down, her passport was nowhere to be found.
In the next 72 hours Francisca went from being the happiest girl in Zimbabwe  to the most miserable one. She went from hero to zero. In her ordeal she hardly ate anything, she had very little time to sleep and cried a river. Her passport was nowhere to be found and as the days went by, it became apparent that she had lost her passport. Francisca tells me that she got a lot of courage from Michael Brookes each day he called her and assured her that as long as she had a passport she would make the trip.
 Meanwhile the days kept counting down and now it was a week before the once in a life time trip. The only option that was left was to get a new document. It was still possible since an emergency one takes 24 hours. The biggest challenge was that Francisca lives with her widowed mum and money was going to be an issue. An emergency document is quite expensive in Zimbabwe. I sent an SOS to friends of Hoops 4 Hope. By the end of the day a great ‘Samaritan’, an angel donor, said she was going to help Francisca. Francisca’s mum cried tears of joy.
Francisca wrote, ‘ I felt alive again. I felt the biggest happiness of my life. I would love to meet (the angel) and express my gratitude to her. I really appreciate everything she did for me.’
Francisca applied for her passport and got a new document. A Visa was issued and Francisca made the trip the USA as an Exchange Visitor. During the trip she met with Hillary Clinton, the USA Secretary of State, and went to Denver to watch the Final Four NCAA Women’s Championships.
Francisca is also grateful to the Sports United Program. She said, ‘they taught us a lot of things, some of which I want to share with my community now that i am back.’ In the USA Francisca became friends with Zola Crandall and she says she felt so loved and special to have them (Zola and her Dad Mark)  welcome her in the USA. She tells me, ‘Coach Mark has a big and loving heart. Everything was a blessing from God.’
Francisca is back home and it is great to see how the trip has impacted her. She is happy and laughs and talks a lot.
]]> http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/h4h-reflects-on-franciscas-journey/feed/ 1 Update from Crossroads! http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/update-from-crossroads/ http://www.hoopsafrica.org/2012/04/update-from-crossroads/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:08:06 +0000 molly http://www.hoopsafrica.org/?p=1176 The Crossroads Center has kids every day for homework club, leadership, and hoops. All Star LaLa is back and Mahlube is now the Crossroads Center All Star, thanks to the Stephen Silverman Memorial Fund! These community All Star Managers have plenty to do!

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