"The world will never change unless people take responsibility for the happiness of others." - Helen Keller
The Flame of Hope is a physical flame and a living symbol to transform past suffering into peace among all people. The goal of our work is to support communities most in need, and promote altruism, healing, and under-standing throughout the world.
Since 2000, The Flame of Hope, formerly known as Earth Caravan and Tao Sangha, has helped thousands of people annually by engaging 44 regular volunteers who donate more than 42,000 hours* annually. Volunteers keep our services steady, efficient, and effective.
The Flame of Hope provides economic and social support for communities in need, supporting orphanages and primary schools in South Asia and the Middle East, and aiding peace and reconciliation efforts in the Middle East, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and among indigenous communities in Canada.
In workshops, Flame of Hope assists people in overcoming the suffering in life by connecting to the true infinite self and unifying with all other beings. Through deeply rooted Eastern mindfulness practice, people discover there is no separation between our own happiness and that of others.
Our impact: Supporting those most in need
Throughout our history, volunteers have supported global communities in the following ways:
● Raising funds to support victims of natural disasters in the United States, Haiti, Japan, Italy, and Bangladesh
● Providing financial and logistical support to primary schools in Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Middle East
● Engaging in peace and reconciliation projects in the Middle East, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and at the WWII concentration camps of Auschwitz and Dachau
● Supporting food and water purification initiatives for refugees in Japan and Gaza
*42,000 hrs. are valued at $1,335,600/year. (Independent Sector values a volunteer hour at $31.80)
Our impact: Creating deeper compassion and understanding
“My life became more enjoyable. I have a purpose to live. There is joy in being able to contribute to others. I can see my heart.” - workshop participant
Through its innovative treatments and workshops over more than 20 years, The Flame of Hope helps more than 3,500 people around the world each year change their perspective on life, increase their compassion, and become more connected to each other.
A participant at one of our workshops said, “I feel lighter and guided from my inside true nature. I feel the importance and joy of being responsible towards myself, others, and the world.”
To achieve these impacts, the Flame of Hope has partnered with many organizations, including Religions for Peace, the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican, the PEAC Institute, Heiwa Peace & Reconciliation, International Peace Bureau (Berlin), Tibet House (Tokyo), and Pax Christi.
Why Do We Call It the Flame of Hope?
After the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, one of the flames that still burned was maintained and presented to Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2019, who blew it out to symbolize hope for a future free from nuclear war and all weapons. After praying for peace with Pope Francis, we created a new flame, called the “Flame of Hope” to fuel the transformation of past suffering into future peace.
The Flame of Hope invites all people to contribute their wishes and dreams to end global war, conflict, and poverty. Since its creation, more than 400,000 people, including Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, Tushar Gandhi, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend have added their wishes, hopes, and prayers to the Flame, strengthening its power.
The Urgent Need for a More Unified and Humane World
People feel deeply divided. Our world faces environmental, social, economic, and political crises. People are yearning for connection to their true nature, to other people, and to deeper meaning.
Our solution: to focus on altruism through mindfulness, study, and action to heal the heart of humanity. The Flame of Hope offers practical solutions to heal the abyss of division, bringing forth a brighter future with generosity in thought and action. This is the solid basis for real and lasting change that our world needs.
Outcomes and Financial needs of the project
We propose to increase the number of people who benefit from Flame of Hope activities from 3,500 to 6,000 people annually. We will increase humanitarian aid and education with key partners supporting children throughout the world. Participants in Flame of Hope workshops will increase from 500 to at least 1,500 annually, and the number of Flame of Hope subscribers to our email newsletters and social media posts will grow from 5,000 to at least 10,000 by July 31, 2026.
Additionally, Key outcomes for the program:
● 1,000 disadvantaged children and teens in South Asia and the Middle East will receive socio-economic support, including:
○ Food, water, and educational support
○ Improvement of their mental, emotional, physical, and social wellbeing
○ Skills and tools to enable them to improve their socio-economic conditions
● 75% of the 1,500 program participants will demonstrate more compassion, connection, and unity by examining and reporting on how they interact with the world around them.
● 75% will self-report greater self-realization and wisdom.
● 90% will complete and report on at least one act of giving or kindness shortly after having taken a workshop.
Our organization has already raised $50,000 to invest in the proposed project. With an additional investment of $185,000 by July 31, 2025, we will engage in the following key activities to expand our work:
● Increase our financial support of global aid programs to $50,000
● Increase the number of schools and orphanages we support to 10
● Expand to 5 partnerships with other global organizations to promote and implement our humanitarian work
● Conduct 200 workshops annually (face to face and virtual) mindfulness, helping participants develop tools to apply altruism and unity in their daily lives
● Train at least 20 international ambassadors to promote our work
● Collect 200,000 additional wishes for the world into the Flame of Hope by July 2026.
Our Expansion Plan
We currently conduct about 150 in-person workshops annually in North America, Europe, Japan, and Israel. We will expand to offer 200 online and in-person workshops and courses as well as in-person retreats in North America, Europe, and Japan.
We will triple the total participation in our workshops in 2025-26 by:
● Creating powerful media campaigns
● Engaging in targeted media outreach
● Conducting global outreach events
● Amplifying our presence and impact on social media
Here’s what your gift will do:
Provide humanitarian aid: Increase the number of schools and orphanages we support to 10 and increase our financial support of global programs to $75,000. | $75,000 |
Conduct 200 in-person and virtual mindfulness workshops annually, helping participants develop tools to apply altruism and unity in their daily lives. | $60,000 |
Train at least 20 international ambassadors to promote our work through Flame of Hope global events. | $25,000 |
Enhance global partnerships: Expand to 5 partnerships with other global organizations to promote our work. | $25,000 |
Total | $185,000 |
Here’s what your gift will do:
● $50 pays the monthly salary for two schoolteachers
● $100 provides 2 months of food and clean water for school children in South Asia or the Middle East
● $500 trains one Flame of Hope international ambassador
● $1000 supports a global development partnership
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