Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremiah Caleb.
Jeremiah, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It began at the brink of 9/11. I had just turned 21, graduated from college, and buried my father, the man who had been my hero and inspiration. Wanting to pursue my artistic career, I moved to New York City to study at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy. There, I took on the path of a young starving artist searching for purpose in my craft.
By the summer of 2005, I was aching to create a compelling story of my own. I decided to begin with the man who had inspired me since my birth. I had known that my father was born in the 1930s to a devout Hindu family in South India. At the age of 15, he had chosen to embrace Christianity and was thus disowned by his family. He went on to live in the slums, where he started telling stories to children. This eventually led to having his own radio show in India in the 1970s and his work as a missionary among ethnic minorities all over the world.
Since my exit from college, I had been aching to write my father’s story. Only it never quite came together because up to that point, I had never been to India in my life. Naturally, I found it difficult to relate. So I decided that the only way to explore this story was to dig deep and walk in his footsteps. With the support of my friends, I set on a 40-day pilgrimage to India wearing taking with me only my father’s simple clothing from the 1970s. My intent was to film a little and collect interviews for my book. Little did I realize that this single trip would change the course of my life.
From the moment I set foot at the land of my father, I was struck by the poverty and depravation I had never witnessed before. It was enough to break me and call me to action. This 40-day journey fueled my work with the destitute slum orphans of North India and eventually became a non-profit charity called the Caleb Hope Foundation. My journey also eventually led me to meeting and falling in love with the woman I was to marry.
The Caleb Hope Foundation got its start upon my return to New York with the collaboration of my actor friends from the Broadway scene. Over the years, we have evolved into an education sponsorship program for destitute children in South India, as well as a vocational sewing sponsorship to empower destitute women in starting small sustaining businesses of their own.
My biographical novel, “He Walks With Me” was published in 2013 and it’s romantic sequel, “In His Time” was released in 2018. Our documentary, “Coming Home” chronicling my 40-day journey and the birth of the Caleb Hope Foundation, premiered in Beverly Hills in the summer of 2018 and has screened in 16 cities since then. We are currently shopping for the online distribution and release this summer. While the Caleb Hope Foundation raises support and operates in different parts of the US, I reside mainly in Los Angles with my wife and son, utilizing my influence as a working actor, author and activist.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was never a smooth road, which seems to be common of the road less traveled. As an actor and writer, it has taken me many failures and disappointments to eventually arrive at the state of contentment I enjoy today. The same can be said of my journey with the Caleb Hope Foundation. I have lost jobs along the way, friends who felt awkward about my fundraising, and at one point even my home. We’ve also fought a lot of local corruption when funneling much needed financial support to our sponsored individuals. And yet in the end, I have always found the journey to be incredibly invigorating and rewarding.
Today our main challenge appears to be the turnover of sponsors. Personal circumstances often mean that some of our sponsors drop out of the program. So it is necessary to constantly recruit new ones to keep our programs running.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Caleb Hope Foundation – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
The Caleb Hope Foundation serves to work with the poor and the oppressed in the slums and rural communities of India empowering them in creating a culture of education, compassion and hope.
Our sponsorship program is two-fold. With our long term sponsorship program, Bhagya, our sponsor, is paired with a destitute child on our waiting list. The $35 monthly sponsorship allows us to provide that child with an education as well as supplies needed to succeed at school. This program can sponsor the child all the way to college level. Our children are carefully chosen by our Bhagya program in Bangalore, India with the aid of social workers. Individual follows up visits are conducted to the home of the child every month.
Our short term sponsorship program, Bops, is a one-year commitment. The sponsorship of a young woman allows her the opportunity to go through an intense sewing vocational training. At her graduation, she receives a sewing machine and is equipped to start her own small sustaining business in her community to aid her family. We keep our programs small. This allows us to build personal relationships with our women and children. Our team takes yearly trips to India to personally asses the progress of our programs and support our local founders and directors in their work.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the progressive vibrance of Miami. There is a movement of people who want to be a part of the change and to participate in a meaningful narrative.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.calebhopefoundation.org
- Email: jeremiah@calebhopefoundation.org
Image Credit:
Main Headshot- Photo by Gene Silvers
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