2021 Community Impact Report
Making the World a Better Place For All of Us
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Our Story
At Esperança, we believe in a world where every person is thriving, creating new possibilities and promising futures. In the communities we serve, that world can feel far away. When children grow up in unsafe environments, when healthcare infrastructure simply doesn’t exist, when education is a luxury good, it’s incredibly hard for families to focus on anything other than survival.
Esperança builds optimal social, mental, and physical health in under-resourced communities across the globe, taking care of immediate needs so that people can focus on their families’ futures. Esperança works collaboratively with the communities we serve, acting in partnership to remove barriers and provide crucial support.
When we are freed of the difficulties of the day, we can plan for the future. Esperança helps individuals today, so that their communities can thrive tomorrow.
What We Do
Health education
preventing disease at the source through culturally competent education
Elijah is an 8-year-old attendee of Esperança’s oral health workshops. He already has “silver on his teeth” – which we came to discover meant cavity fillings. But after Esperança’s class, he left with newfound oral health knowledge along with new toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and a promise to ask his parents when his next dentist appointment will be!
community development
clean water, food security, home building and microbusiness programs
Warm water is flowing in the Peruvian Andes! In 2021, Julián’s and 103 other Q’ero families spent the winter in safe homes, taking hot baths for the first time, and growing nutritious veggies that will keep their kids strong and healthy. Working in tandem with preventative health education workshops, Esperança is improving quality of life in the Q’eros Nation.
medical care
primary care, surgical intervention, and donated medical supply deliveries
Ana, born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, grew up with a hip socket that didn’t form correctly. Without surgical intervention, she would never walk properly. Ana’s mother was distraught and unable to afford the procedure… But thanks to Esperança’s week-long pediatric orthopedics brigade to Ecuador, she didn’t have to! Ana and 34 other children were operated on free of charge.
With Your Help, We are Making Optimal Health Accessible to ALL
Esperança’s unique approach is relational, not transactional. We believe it’s not our place to tell people what they need – our job is to listen and respond. That’s why we create safe spaces to collaborate with the communities we serve, working with trusted local partners and providing dignified, culturally-appropriate care, so that everyone we serve knows that they are a valued and equal member of the Esperança community. In 2021 we supported programs abroad in Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Peru and domestically here in the United States.
Witness hope in action
Our Direction
Mission:
is to improve health and provide hope for every life we touch through sustainable disease prevention, education, and treatment.
Vision: health equity for everyone
Model:
Esperança works collaboratively with in-country partners to remove barriers and provide crucial support for sustainable change.
Values:
Compassion, Cultural Awareness, Integrity, & Tenacity
2021 Impact
Dollars Raised
Individual contributions, grants, PPP loans and other income.
Donated Medical Supplies
Gifts of syringes, wheelchairs, walkers, gloves, medical beds, and more from 133 individuals and organizations.
Donated Services
Value of in-kind surgeries, primary care and consultations provided in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru.
Volunteers
Contributed over 740 hours as part of surgical brigades, sorting & inventorying medical supplies, stuffing Smile Bags, and more.
Domestic Impact
direct impact
Families impacted by distributions of produce bags, warm meals, medical supplies, and more.
health & chronic disease education
Children, adults and seniors who participated in nutrition classes or the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program.
oral health education
Participants who benefitted from a workshop on oral health and received a Smile Bag with toothpaste, floss and a toothbrush.
total impact
5,998 individuals were impacted by our services across the state of Arizona.
Global Impact
medical care
Beneficiaries who received surgical, primary, dental or pediatric intervention as part of a medical brigade.
community development
Beneficiaries of water systems, latrines, solar powered irrigation, agricultural training, or home building projects.
health education
Participants in culturally appropriate preventative health classes.
total impact
48,088 individuals were impacted by our services in Bolivia, Ecuador, Mozambique, Nicaragua and Peru.
Your Donations Made a HUGE Difference This Year
Annual Revenue
FY2021 (Oct. 2020 – Sep. 2021): $7,892,046
Budget Breakdown
FY2021 (Oct. 2020 – Sep. 2021) $8,140,256
Domestic Wins
- Launched Stove to Table meal delivery program
- Community garden breaks ground at Phoenix office
- Expanded health education to our first outlet sites: Yuma and El Mirage
- Continued providing virtual education, reaching families in different states and Mexico!
International Wins
- New partnership established in Mexico
- Return of international surgical brigades
- Medical supplies shared across 10 countries
- Completed 12 water systems
- Sent 38 primary care brigades to rural communities in Nicaragua
A Letter from the Board
Health equity for everyone. The same vision that compelled Esperança’s founders 52 years ago, compels us today. To go to the hard places. To serve the under-resourced. To bring HOPE and health to all communities, regardless of zip code.
In the words of one of Esperança’s first volunteer surgeons, Dr. Ed Falcone, “We are building a monument, not of concrete or steel, but of people, of caring, of concern, which will last forever.”
And this monument remains a steadfast symbol of hope for hundreds of thousands around the globe which is why I am excited to bring you the fiscal year 2021 Community Impact Report!
As of 2021 Esperança is improving health and providing hope in 7 countries across Latin America and Africa. Yes, we said 7 countries! This past October we acquired another Phoenix-based nonprofit supporting work in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. Our new partner, Educarte, provides young people with a path out of poverty through education and currently provides services to over 700 students and their families. You can learn more about our newest partnership here. Also internationally we have seen the return of volunteer surgical brigades following careful vetting of travel safety.
Here in Arizona, the team filled a growing need in our senior community by launching the Stove to Table meal delivery program. These healthy recipes are now supported by the produce from Esperança’s new Community Garden!
In addition to these exciting developments, I am proud to share that we continued to receive the top ratings from the two most prominent nonprofit evaluators, Charity Navigator and Guidestar, so you can be assured that Esperança has and will continue to utilize your donations with accountability and transparency.
Esperança’s accomplishments and increased services are made possible by supporters like you from across the nation who believe that everyone, regardless of where they live, deserves to have a fair and just opportunity to be healthy. An incredible 2,216 of you helped push the needle forward for health equity in 2021 – wow!
Growth is on the horizon at Esperança, and we are so grateful that you are a part of the journey.
In Health,
Mistie Weishaar
Mistie Weishaar, Board Chair
Our Partners & Sponsors
Jackson Kemper Foundation
Ibis Foundation of Arizona
With Thanks to The Circle of Hope Giving Society
The Circle of Hope is comprised of generous donors committed to the sustainability of Esperança’s work by committing to an annual donation of $1,000 or more.
- Nicholas & Sara Alcock
- Silvia Alvarez
- Thomas & Marie Barnett
- James & Tamara Bohannon
- David & Jennifer Bradley
- Kenny & Dawn Marie Buckland
- Christina Church
- Cyndi Connelly
- Lin Sue Cooney
- Lattie & Elva Coor
- Kindra Deneau
- Ed Diaz & Emy Burback-Diaz
- William & Kari Dolan
- Mike & Carol Durkin
- Michael & Morgan Estes
- Conner & Adriana Farquharson
- Edgar and Maureen Gomez
- Richard & Mary Jean Grammens
- Elizabeth Greene
- Greg & Carolyn Hale
- Concepcion Henderson
- Mary Holman
- Kenady & Jordan Jobe
- Barbara Johnson
- Amil & Retta Kekic
- Jared Kredit
- Jared & Denise Leslie
- Michael Leto
- Zack & Christa Lindsay
- Al & Suzette Marquiss
- Scott & Erin McDonald
- John & Karen Miksich
- Denise Mills
- Jerry & Kathleen Morgan
- Andrew Muniz & Elena Burr
- Joy Newborg
- David Newstone
- Jason & Amanda Paltzer
- James T. Patterson
- Eric & Jeri Royce
- Monica Ryden
- Ray & Marcia Sachs
- Anthony & Sandra Smith
- McKenna & Mark Stephens
- Craig & Debra Stevenson
- Kathy Vendola
- Oliver & Mistie Weishaar
- Michael J. Young
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Get In Touch
Your Esperança Team
Board of Directors
- Mistie Weishaar, Chair
- Elizabeth Greene, Vice Chair
- Amil Kekic, Treasurer
- Monica Ryden, Secretary
- Ylenia Aguilar
- Silvia Alvarez
- David Bradley
- Dawn Marie Buckland
- Emy Burback
- Robert Clarke
- Cyndi Connelly
- Kathleen Duncan
- Concepcion Henderson
- Mary Holman
- Darryn Jones
- David Newstone
- Jason Paltzer
- James Patterson
- Raymond Sachs
- Rachel Villanueva
Staff
- Jeri Royce, President & CEO
- Kerry White, Chief Financial Officer
- Maria Valenzuela, Health & Wellness Program Director
- Anna Ortiz, Global Health & Development Director
- Elena Burr
- Tanner Burr
- Adriana Farquharson
- Elena Gonzalez
- Jazmin Hernandez
- Xiomara Herrera
- Julieta Larios
- Valeria Lopez
- Tiffany Luu
- Luis Placencia
- Irma Rubio
- Alejandra Ruiz
- Tatumn Zale