Hope Vacation Bags - 2/19 

10am -12pm @Hope. Connect with Rebecca if you can help out!

 

 

 

 

Heather is happy that Janice is on the mend.

 

Liz is happy that her friend Meg was here to present to the club and also happy to have Jacob join us for breakfast!

 

T Tall was happy that Ben didn't notice his name tag was missing. 

 

 

Jason S was happy about his trip to FL and watching the lightening play the bruins!

 

Jason L is happy to be back after a great 5 week getaway to the DR with his Wife.

 

Tim H was also happy that he got away with no name tag!

 

 

Organization: PH International (formerly Project Harmony), 40+ years of history.

• Core mission: cross-cultural communication and people-to-people exchanges; ongoing community development.

• Geographic footprint: offices in Armenia, Georgia, and Ukraine; historical offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Azerbaijan.

• Program scope: two youth ambassador cohorts visiting the United States with a focus on leadership development and community
service.

 

• Participant details: East Asia and The Pacific group (44 participants: 38 students, 6 adults) from Mindanao (The Philippines) and 7
Pacific Island nations; age 15–18.

 

• July cohort: approximately 90 participants, traveling across DC, Vermont, Alabama, and New York City.

 

• Host family requirements: breakfast, daily drop-off/pick-up, dinner; weekends flexible; sign-up via QR code; background checks;
English-only requirement.

 

• Dates: East Asia Pacific group stationed in May 14–20; Africa/Pacific Islands groups in July with sub-ranges July 16–22 and July 22–28.

• Vermont execution plan: create mini-communities along major corridors (I-89 and beyond); centralized pickup/drop-off points;
host evenings and group dinners; optional shared meals and gatherings.

• Notable partners and sites: Middlebury College workshops on conflict transformation; site visits to Burlington and other regional locations; leadership activities in Cornwall, New York.

 

Meg outlined a robust effort by PH International to deepen cross-cultural understanding through youth ambassador exchanges. By expanding the host-family network across Vermont and coordinating multi-site experiences on the East Coast, the program aims to provide meaningful, English-language learning and community immersion for young participants while strengthening local communities through
hospitality and shared cultural exchange. The speaker invites community members to become host families (even for partial durations) to support this mission and to help showcase the best of American life to visiting youths.