Hammers Making Change

Giving to those in need has a reciprocal effect. Since the third grade, Jimmy Francis ’24 has been volunteering with Youth With A Mission, a non-profit organization that runs a program called ‘Homes of Hope’ that organizes efforts to build homes for those in need worldwide. The experiences left such a deep impression on him and his family they have been organizing trips with dozens of friends, colleagues and St. Mark’s families for nearly a decade.

“This was my 12th trip and the ninth year that we’ve done this annual Thanksgiving build,” Francis said. “This was the 52nd house we built.”

The tradition started when Jimmy’s mother, Kathryn, organized their first trip for close family and colleagues. That year, the group built two houses in Costa Rica, where the need was so great and the experience so rewarding they have been back every Thanksgiving break since. While in Lower School, Jimmy and a close friend decided to recruit from their own circle of friends. The two fundraised, spoke to parents and hosted dinners to build support.

“It took off from there; we recently brought 175 people that built eight houses in two days,” Francis said. “That’s a record for the organization.”

Homes of Hope identifies families who need new housing and coordinates pouring slabs, acquiring supplies and managing volunteers to build homes. The entire process culminates with a key ceremony where the recipient family is given keys to their new home.

“I was chosen to hand the key off to the family after we had all said how grateful we were to be able to help them,” James Sutherland ’24 said. “It was an extraordinary moment, and I remember getting teary handing the key to the father, who was also crying. I gave him a huge hug and thanked him for letting us help them.”

The impact of giving is not solely confined to material support; it extends to the emotional and psychological well-being of both givers and receivers.

“Thanksgiving is the perfect time to go because it is so easy to get caught up in how stressed one might be with everything going on,” Francis said. “Going to Costa Rica and seeing what life’s like, you get immense gratitude and an incredible amount of fulfillment in your heart. I always tell people to ‘be selfish’ when you go. What I get out of it every year is equivalent to what these families receive.”