Outside a nonprofit in Elizabethtown, a field of dahlias is raising hope. The flowers are handpicked by volunteers and sold throughout the summer to raise money for Brittany's Hope. It's just one way the organization supports its mission of creating lasting change in the lives of orphaned and at-risk children.

Brittany's Hope was named for Brittany Ann O'Connell, who died in a car accident in 1999. Brittany was one of 12 adopted children and three biological children of the Abel family, who created the organization to spotlight vulnerable children around the world. "My parents would travel to other countries and realized there are so many special needs children who are left behind in orphanages," said Mai-Lynn Sahd, executive director of Brittany's Hope. "They were essentially being warehoused, with little caregiving." Brittany's Hope specializes in helping special needs children, which Sahd explained could include a child with physical or developmental delays as well as hard-to-place older children or children with siblings who want to be adopted together.

Sahd was adopted from Vietnam at age 9 and often accompanied her parents on trips to the country, where she served as an interpreter. "I've been involved in the work of Brittany's Hope since I was 15 years old," she said, noting that the organization has two pathways of support. Brittany's Hope works with adoption agencies to provide adoption grants and provides humanitarian aid in Vietnam, Ethiopia and Kenya.

"We do amazing work, but of course I am biased," Sahd stated. "But especially in this past year, when more children have been at risk due to the pandemic and economic downturn, our mission is needed more than ever."

The heartbeat of Brittany's Hope is its volunteers, Sahd remarked, including the people who cut and sell the dahlias, as well as volunteers who help the organization with other fundraising events such as its upcoming Brittany's Ball on Saturday, Sept. 11.

"This will be our second gala, and we're very excited," she said. "Last year's gala was a lifeline of support for orphaned and at-risk children, and we hope to meet their needs once again this year."

Thanks to a corporate partner who covers overhead expenses for the nonprofit, 100% of donations directly benefit children, Sahd noted. "We're supporting children who need it most," she said. "Our work is always relevant, but this year in particular, with everything happening around the world, our work is critical."

For more information on Brittany's Hope, visit http://www.brittanyshope.org.