03/03/2026
Written by Shawn Pinkerton
As many of you know, a few years ago I started Generating Hope.
What an adventure — and a learning experience — it has been. When I began, I had no idea how complicated and time-consuming running an organization could be.
So many of you supported this project along the way, and there truly aren’t enough words to thank you. Developing the program itself came naturally to me. Every part of building it felt right. But actually running an organization did not come naturally. I’ve always been more of a hands-on, “let’s do it instead of talking about it” kind of person.
I was fortunate to have amazing volunteers helping along the way. The challenge was that many of us shared the same strengths — we attracted great people, just not always the specific organizational support we needed.
One of the hardest realities was the cost of insurance. It was our only major expense, but at over $1,000 per year, it meant a large portion of the funds we raised went toward administrative costs instead of directly helping neighbors in need. That never sat right with me.
After a lot of thought, we’ve decided to officially close the Generating Hope organization.
The good news is that the program itself is not ending.
The generator program will now continue under the Little Beaver Lions Club as one of the many ways they serve our community. All funds and equipment are being transferred to the Lions Club, and I will continue running the program as a Lions member. The program will maintain its own budget so that every donation made toward Generating Hope will continue supporting the same mission.
If you’d like to support the program, you can still contact me directly or reach out to the Little Beaver Lions Club. And as always, if you or someone you know needs a generator, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Additionally, my can-collecting project will now help fund the generator program as well.
Thank you again to everyone who believed in this mission, volunteered, donated, and encouraged me along the way. Generating Hope isn’t ending — it’s simply moving into its next chapter.
