Brittany's Hope Foundation was created in honor and memory of an amazing young woman, Brittany Ann O'Connell. Brittany was adopted when she was twelve years old. Her spirit, kindness, and sense of humor touched her family, friends, neighbors, and pets.

While in college, Brittany studied social work. Her hope was to help children and families find each other, and experience the same happiness and joy as she did with her family. Sadly, Brittany was not able to achieve her dream as the result of a fatal car accident her senior year of college. Through their grieving, Brittany's family became determined to continue her hope and dreams of connecting waiting children to waiting families. That's when Brittany's Hope Foundation was born.

Brittany's Hope works with affiliated agencies specializing in international adoption by providing child specific grants. The purpose of these grants is to help special needs children find their forever home. They have provided grants for children in the following countries: China, Vietnam, Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan, Guatemala, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, Colombia, Philippines, Estonia, Lithuania, India, and Eastern Europe.

It's important to note that Brittany's Hope is not an adoption agency, rather they are a humanitarian agency. In addition to providing child specific grants for the adoption of special needs children, they are involved in numerous humanitarian projects. One such project is called Brittany's Cribs.

Children who reside in orphanages often spend hours alone in cribs, some of which are simply not safe. Sadly, there is little stimulation or activity for the child. Brittany's Hope is helping change that one crib at a time. They have provided new cribs, warm blankets, and toys designed to stimulate and entertain children in Vietnam, China, Haiti, and Sierra Leone.

Another humanitarian project Brittany's Hope is involved in is called Sunflower Children. As children in some overseas orphanages reach their fourteenth birthday, they are aged out of the orphanage. Sunflower Children helps these orphans by providing a duffel bag filled with supplies, including blankets, clothes, and everyday essentials. These are often the only supplies the children will have when they leave the orphanage.

Brittany's Hope accepts donations to both Brittany's Cribs and the Sunflower Children Project. In fact, these are just two of the many projects where they are making an impact on the lives of children with the help of donations. The foundation is a non profit 501 (c)3 foundation. One hundred percent of the donations go directly to helping the children through the child specific grants or to the humanitarian projects.

Brittany's Hope Foundation was built upon the hopes and dreams of an amazing young woman. Brittany once stated the following:

“I dream of a world where all children know the peace and love only a family can provide.”

It's quiet clear that her dreams are coming true, one family at a time.

For more information on this compassionate, life changing foundation, please visit www.BrittanysHope.org.