FBLA member Hailey Droessler started a new project called HOPE which stands for Helping Other People Endure which got first place in an FBLA competition. According to Droessler, the project aims to make bags full of hygiene items such as water bottles and things to keep PADS members warm outside. PADS is a nonprofit shelter for homeless people in lake county. The PADS members go through a tough schedule daily which is one reason that this project has been brought to the attention of Lake County as well as to give them help through the winter.

“My goal was to make 80 bags originally and donate them and we have enough to make probably 200 bags,” Droessler explains.

“There are people in our community who struggle, so we wanted to target those specific people,” states Droessler. 

According to Droessler her inspiration for this project was her mom. When her mom was in college in Madison, Wisconsin says Droessler, she was able to make this project called HOPE and it died out and later on Droessler was able to make it come back, only this time she started it in the Lake County area. 

Droessler explains that when she actually went to PADS she was able to see some of the families and one was a single mother with 5 kids and when they got their bags they were so excited and happy and it made her happy to see it.

Not only was this project able to get supplies for the homeless people at PADS but they were able to raise 650 dollars to buy stuff for the bags as well says, Droessler.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do for the last five years, ever since I was little,” states Droessler.

Project hope was not only able to help out the homeless but they were able to get first place at an FBLA competition. “I was really happy, I worked so hard on this and it meant so much to me and I felt like I really brought part of the community together,” States Droessler.

FBLA sponsor Diane Keuth who is close With Droessler states that the planning has been taking 2 to 3 months already and exclaimed it took her hours.

Keuth states that “I think she really wanted to help someone in need, and we talked about how the homeless people at pads; a couple of bad things happen and you’re homeless… so this way it’s helping out inside your community.”