April German, left, and Carol Berry, right (Brittany Howell for The Cullman Tribune)
April German of Victoria’s Hope is my guest on Community with Carol this week.
Back in May 2018 I had a conversation with April when she called to ask me how to start a nonprofit. I gave her all the information I could. She took the information and got busy. April had many others who helped her along the way. Ashley Wilson had the closest thing to her “vision” April could find in Curt’s Closet. So, after meeting with Ashley, her vision for Victoria’s Hope became a reality.
Victoria Hammond Hankey was the inspiration for this new nonprofit. Victoria was April’s mom, a mom who gave everything for her children and went without herself. Watching April talk about her mother was heartbreaking and motivational.
April lost her mother in May 2018 after only a seven-week battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. In her grief and depression, April felt the urge to make one of her mother’s dreams a reality.
As a single mom with three young children, Victoria struggled, but she always found a way to not only provide for her children but also make their lives as normal as possible. Even though they were in poverty, April and her siblings never felt anything but loved. It wasn’t until they were older that they realized the sacrifices their mom had made for them. After she remarried, Victoria began to give back. She always helped struggling mothers with whom she came into contact. She dreamed of doing more one day, and she has through April!
Victoria’s Hope is located in Dodge City, at 851 Alabama Highway 69 South. This organization is a 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax-deductible. Victoria’s Hope is designed to look like any other retail store; however, this shopping spree is free. The shopping experience is to help those struggling to provide for their children and themselves. Victoria’s Hope has household items, toys, clothing, shoes and accessories. Individuals must have an appointment. The shopping experience is private and April goes to great lengths to make each person feel special.
April’s next big event will be providing prom attire to high school students. Victoria’s Hope will be taking donations of prom dresses, men’s suits and all the fun accessories. As the mother of three boys, April is excited to help the young ladies find the perfect dress.
Even though Victoria’s Hope has only been in existence a short while, April and her team have served many families. They have not only filled a physical need in our community but a spiritual one as well. The volunteers at Victoria’s Hope have seen firsthand the impact they are having on individuals. Some people who have shopped with them are now back on their feet and bringing donations for others! That is what touched April the most.
She cried as she told me, “This is what it this is all about, giving back, just like my mom did!”
What a great mom Victoria Hammond Hankey was. The impact she had on her children has changed a community. How proud she would be of her daughters and her son.
“Successful mothers are not the ones that have never struggled, they are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles.” – Sharon Jaynes
See my interview with April Tuesday at www.Facebook.com/CullmanTribune.
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