The Ladies of Hope Ministries is blessed to participate in #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5, 2020.

Women in jails, prisons, and the community face an unprecedented challenge. Correctional facilities do not meet even the most basic sanitary and distancing guidelines, and many women come home into the shelter system or conditions that are especially unsafe during this global health crisis. The LOHM is working around the clock to address the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the people and communities we serve. On May 5, The LOHM will join the global philanthropic community to unleash the power of the people, raise funds for this critical work, and spread the word!

May 5 is no ordinary day for The Ladies of Hope Ministries. It marks five years since our founder and leader, Topeka K. Sam, was released from federal prison. We’re celebrating Topeka’s five years of freedom with four special days of online events. The celebration and Giving Tuesday campaign kicks off on Instagram Live on May 2, as we’ll get underway at 5:00 PM with a Banana Skirt Dance Fitness Kickoff Sweat Session. May 3 will feature a kickoff yoga session with Olga Palladino from Five Pillars Yoga at 5:00 PM. And on the evening of May 4, DJ Kiss will host a social distancing dance party!

On May 5, Topeka and The LOHM will pair this deeply personal anniversary with the power of Giving Tuesday Now to both support this essential work and bring awareness to the issues surrounding the impact of incarceration of women and girls. The day will begin at 5:05 AM with Morning Stretch with Urban Yoga Online on Instagram and will continue with powerful speakers every hour throughout the day, culminating in the LOHM Happy Hour at 6:05 PM. 

Throughout the day, The LOHM will focus on “Changing the Narrative” and introduce The LOHM Global Speakers Bureau, EPIC PITCH Contest for entrepreneurs, and our Hope House NOLA Expansion.

In these five years, Topeka has become a trusted and prominent voice in the global movement to fight for criminal justice reform. To mark this day, she is inviting the community to hear from women, in their own words, the stories of how they have survived, thrived, and built lives that they love. You can see the full event schedule, and learn about how you can support this essential work below.