Hopecam News – Connecting Homebound Children with Cancer and School

Allow me to welcome Jennifer Bond, who joins Hopecam on a part-time basis serving as our Director. Jennifer has a background combining both accounting and education. She was a senior financial auditor for three years at PricewaterhouseCoopers and transitioned to a teaching position, working in the Fairfax County Public Schools where she was nominated for teacher of the year.

Ms. Bond holds a master's degree in education from George Mason University and graduated Summa Cum Laude from James Madison University. She has the unique ability to manage the financial and technical aspects of Hopecam along with the ability to relate to children undergoing treatment and the teachers and children in the classrooms.

Jennifer is leading the effort to revamp our website, reach out to corporate sponsors and partner with organizations that will allow us to reach even more children in the region. We have an ambitious goal to help more than 200 children in the next two years. With the assistance from hundreds of our supporters, corporate sponsors and Jennifer's organizational skills, I am confident that we will be successful.

Regards,
Len Forkas

	Winter 2010
	Winter 2009
	Fall 2008
	Summer 2008

Hopecam Ride for Hope

Milestone Communications is proud to have sponsored five dedicated riders as they cycled 525 miles from Reston to Rochester raising money for Hopecam.

The physical challenge of this five-day ride is symbolic of the challenges children that are homebound with cancer experience. Hopecam provides these children with laptops, web cams, and Internet connections to maintain communication with their school, family, and friends. These are provided at no cost. Milestone CEO, Len Forkas, and Hopecam’s founder, was one of the riders. Click here to read about the team.

The team left on June 18th from Hopecam Headquarters in Reston. Their route took them through Cumberland, MD, State College, PA, to Rochester, NY on June 21, 2010. The ride raised over $10,000 to provide a child in the Washington DC area and a child in Rochester, NY with Hopecams for one year. “What a great way to celebrate Father’s Day, helping others,” stated Len Forkas, founder of Hopecam.

Hopecam has helped over 75 homebound children and established partnerships with Children’s National Medical Center, Inova Hospital, Johns Hopkins, and the National Institute of Health.

Online Auction Benefits Hopecam

Each month Hopecam will feature a fabulous donated item for you to bid on.

The funds will all go to take a child off the waiting list and equip them with a Hopecam.

Northern Virginia Community Foundation Links Donors to
Groups in Need

As an advocate, gatekeeper and a giver, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is celebrating its 31st year helping to connect donors and local charities.

The McLean-based foundation started as a way to build philanthropy efforts in Northern Virginia, foundation President Eileen M. Ellsworth said. Since it began, it has donated millions of dollars to area charities and nonprofits. Grants from the foundation are awarded to the best, most effective organizations meeting critical community needs, she said.

Click here for the full story.

Hopecam Featured in Reston Connection
The Reston-based nonprofit Hopecam, founded by Vienna resident Len Forkas, is all about creating connections. So when Hopecam members began planning their annual retreat to the Dominican Republic, Forkas thought, “Maybe we can help make a connection to these people in Haiti,” he said. Click here for the full story.

Hopecam Raises Over $6,000 for Haiti Relief

On January 29th, six Hopecam Board Members went to the Dominican Republic to a planning retreat. We had a great opportunity to bring some relief supplies to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We delivered those supplies directly to the UN relief agency in the Dominican.

Each of us took two 50 pound bags filled with emergency radio/flashlights. With your generous contributions, Hopecam raised over $6000 for these supplies.

The North Face Endurance Challenge

We are excited to announce that Hopecam has partnered with The North Face Corp. on Saturday, September 19th, 2009, as our founder, Len Forkas, raced in The North Face Endurance Challenge — his 8th consecutive year running to raise money for Hopecam.

Our goal is to raise $50,000 to help 50 new children! And for the first time since Hopecam's inception, there is a waitlist of children across the United States waiting for our service.

Please help us towards this goal and consider sponsoring Len for this 50 mile journey. You can donate online by clicking here.

Great Falls Optimist Club Donates $10,000 to Hopecam

We are excited to announce that the Great Falls Optimist Club has donated $10,000 in proceeds from this year's Spring Festival to Hopecam. This is the largest single community donation we have ever received, and it will go a long way in allowing us to assist more children in 2009! Thank you to the Optimists for making this possible!

To find out more about the Great Falls Optimists, visit their website at www.greatfallsoptimist.org

Hopecam’s Len Forkas is interviewed on Cox^® Local Edition

Click here to watch the Cox^® Local Edition interview of Hopecam‘s founder, Len Forkas featured on CNN Headline News.

Hopecam to be Featured at 2009 Great Falls Spring Festival

Hopecam will be a featured nonprofit organization at the Great Falls Spring Festival on Sunday, May 17th from 11:30-4:00. The festival is presented by the local Great Falls Optimist Club. This is a great festival for children and their families, so please come out to have a great time and support Hopecam. Click here for more information.

Campbell Visits 8-Year-Old Leukemia Patient for a Little Football, Golf

Jason Campbell drops in on the young leukemia patient who'll be honored at the quarterback's golf classic. Click here for the full story.

Hopecam Featured in “Reston Connection” Article

Click here to read the full story.

Hopecam Founder Nominated for Volunteer Service Award

Len Forkas, our Founder and President, and his son, Matt, have been nominated for a 2009 Fairfax County Volunteer Service Award for the work they have done with Hopecam. The award winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on April 24th.

9th Annual Make-A-Wish Walk-A-Thon Honors Hopecam Alumni

Sunrise Valley Elementary School, in conjunction with Milestone Communities, Inc., is hosting their 9th annual Make-A-Wish 5K Walk-A-Thon. All proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This year the race is honoring one of our Hopecam Alumni, Natanael Justiniano. To participate in the race, go to www.active.com and search for Sunrise Valley Elementary School's 9th Annual 5K for Make A Wish.

Hopecam Helps Children’s Hospital Center

Hopecam recently installed wireless internet service in the Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders so that families and children visiting the clinic for treatment can access the internet using the desktop computers Hopecam donated, as well as the laptops used by our participants.

Hopecam Featured in “It's All Virtual” Article

Click here to read the full story.