Mission Statement (Our Mission)

The mission of Operation Help Now, Inc is to work to address the needs of homeless children on the streets in local communities and developing countries, by providing sponsorship, education, health care and shelter. Our passion is fueled by our strong desire and drive to make a difference in the lives of the individuals we are blessed to work with and support. Our ultimate goal is to empower the youth we work with to then become strong leaders in their communities as a result of a structured living environment backed my an education.

OHN Symbol

The OHN logo consists of a globe with angelic wings and a banner with the words: Learn the Facts, Speak the Truth, & Serve the Fallen.  The globe symbolizes the community we are reaching out to.  The wings symbolize to others, that we are messengers of hope who help those in dire need and those who have been forgotten how to restructure their lives.  The banner contains our motto which is to always Learn the facts and collect information, speak and address unrepresented topics to the public and outside community and serve those who are in need.

History

Operation Help Now began with the dreams of five University of Massachusetts Dartmouth students who wanted to make a true and lasting difference in the world. Daniom Gabremichael, Ibrahim Khonteh, Willems Leveille, Israel Anifowose and Jeffrey Fleurantin believed in the power of unity, love and determination. Wielding the gift of compassion and giving, they strived to achieve one goal. That goal is and will forever be to physically help others who are in dire need and to spread local and global awareness of issues normally not tackled by the media. In the summer of 2007, the same year that OHN began, 4 students from UMass Dartmouth set out to New Orleans, Louisiana to help with relief work. After their journey, OHN members became more motivated and determined to make a difference in the world. The following summer they fundraised and traveled to Port au Prince, Haiti to help the organization Partners in Development (PID) build a clinic for children in a desolate area. With them they brought common medicine and medical supplies to help the local youth population fight basic illnesses such as fevers, colds, migraines and etc. Today OHN is working in Freetown, Sierra Leone as well as Haiti in providing safe housing, educational scholarships and food and lodging sponsorship for homeless children who are living in the streets with nowhere to go.

Who We Are

Operation Help Now (OHN) is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, MA that strives to make the world a better place for unrepresented children and communities who are fighting to make ends meet. OHN works with local communities, OHN college chapters, local churches and similar organizations that have the same desire and willingness to serve the fallen. OHN raises money and seeks sponsorships to help fund community projects, build homes for children and as well as provide the funds for food, lodging and education for children deemed hopeless. We believe that everyone deserves a second chance and in our homes, we aim to give these children just that. In addition to building and managing homes for children, we work on educating local communities on the following: sanitation, men and women’s health, importance of clean water, renewable energy for small communities and managing small businesses. We know the power of knowledge and education. In ensuring that these local communities have access to the proper information for community projects and community building, we are giving them the gift of empowerment.


Ibrahim Khonteh
Founder
I was inspired to undertake this project because I witnessed the impact of the civil war in Sierra Leone on children who are now orphans. I was born in Sierra Leone and I grew up in a very poor family. It was very difficult to even find food to eat. I lived through the civil war there. I eventually was given the opportunity to come to the United States. While attending the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, I started volunteering in Haiti. The experience gained during my volunteer time in Haiti orphanages has helped me develop leadership skills and has convinced me that I can make a difference in the lives of orphans in Haiti and Sierra Leone.
Elena Dormady
Volunteer
I started volunteering for OHN through their first student group at UMass. I had volunteered for other nonprofits before but none like this. OHN directly helps those in need. Some volunteers (like me) stay local, helping teach good values and health through OHNs summer soccer program in Roxbury, Boston, food drives in New Bedford, MA, and through work with some of the other awsome local non- profits. OHN volunteers also regularly fly to areas hit by disaster and poverty. There is always at least 2 trips a year to both Sierra Leone and Haiti, as well as volunteers traveling to other places spread information about problems (and solutions). Recently we have connected with an orphanage in southern India,and we are glad to have the opportunity to help the kind people who are caring for them with funding through our Scholarship and Sponsorship programs. I think the biggest impact is on the children that are no longer living and fending for themselves on the streets of Freetown, Port- Au- Prince, and Sahanper , but instead living in a Second Chance of Life home and attending school. These kids want to be doctors, or teachers, or otherwise help people. Their motivation is inspiring and anyone who is blessed enough to have anything extra to give (food, shoes, volunteer time, or funds) should definitely get involved. This is the most direct way to help people, break the cycles of poverty and disease, and make the future world a better place for everyone.

Get Involved

If you are interested in becoming an integral part of OHN’s mission to give children a second chance at life please consider some of the following options:

Spread the world

Just as we like to arm our children with the power of knowledge, the best way to support our cause is by telling your friends, families and colleagues about our initatives. Share our facebook page, our website and our blog to help educate others about the children in need.

In-Kind Donations

If you or your organization have a skill, service or product that our children could benefit from we would love to hear from you.
Are you a writer, a graphic designer, an English teacher, a healthcare specialist or maybe a musician? If you have a talent and the time to donate to us, please Contact Us to see how we can partner to help the children.

Engage your church

Church communities can have a strong impact on an organization like OHN. Because you already have a group of people understanding the importance and joy of giving, we hope to work with you on projects and partner up to spread awareness of the children in need. Contact us today to see how we can work together to give children in developing countries a second chance.

Sponsor a Child

Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That's one child every five seconds. Your ongoing contribution helps children:

▪ Get an education by building schools, training teachers and buying textbooks
▪ Be protected from diseases through immunizations programs
▪ Have a clean, safe source of drinking water in their community
▪ Receive proper healthcare from community health centers
▪ Break the cycle of poverty through small loans and skills training for families

Make Donation

Make a donation to one of OHN's many programs and you'll be helping to create real and lasting changes in the lives of children in need. If you do like to send a donation by mail, please mail to P.O Box 52 Boston, MA 02121 or email us: contact@operationhelpnow.org

Fund a Project: For a more personal experience with our organization you can inquire about specific initiatives and projects we have in place currently. This type of involvement gives you the chance to make a tangible difference in the life of youth in developing countries.


Donate

Operations Help Now is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation registered in the State of Massachusetts. All donations are tax-deductible to the full allowable by law