Maureen Maloof

I have always had a passion to help children, I just was not sure how I could do it. I come from a financial background with an MBA and a Bachelor’s degree in accounting. I started working as an accountant in the corporate world. I then went into banking and became a Bank Branch Manager at age 25 and moved into Commercial Lending. I then transitioned into finance in the natural health care industry. With all my work experience I always did well and had many accomplishments, but I never felt fulfilled. I wanted to do something where I could make a difference.

I began traveling, and have been to over 40 countries, visiting schools and orphanages around the world. I always came back wanting to help these children. The idea was created when visiting a school in a very poor village in Peru. A teacher mentioned to me that there were many poor children not attending school because they couldn’t afford the mandatory school uniform. That was the first time I had heard that children weren’t going to school because they couldn’t afford a uniform I thought how are they going to get out of their poverty if they don’t get an education? I knew that an education was their only way out. I came back from that trip and did some research. I found that 264 million children worldwide are not going to school, and the main reason was the inability to afford a uniform. I saw a need and decided to take action. I founded Uniforms For Hope, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide school uniforms to children all over the world.

Our first fundraiser helped girls in a remote Masai Village in Kenya. This first donation will always stay in my heart as a wonderful accomplishment. These girls would have been married off at the age of 11 or 12 to older men with multiple wives if they weren’t in school. We were able to help these girls get to school and have hope for a bright future. We were also able to have the local women sew the uniforms so they could have some income, thus helping the entire community. In each country, we work with local leaders to ensure that all funds go directly to making and providing the uniforms. In most regions we serve, we are able to arrange for the local women to make the uniforms.

I started small but soon realized one person can make a difference. I have gotten so much support from our community as well as companies and organizations. We have grown quickly and have helped children in 11 countries, Kenya, Cambodia, Uganda, Lebanon, Tanzania, Ethiopia, India, Sierra Leone, Congo, Costa Rica and Orange County, CA in the United States.

We started out in other countries outside the United States, but soon realized there was a need close to home. Many elementary public school children in the lower income areas of Orange County, CA are required to wear a uniform to school. Many families are poor and have trouble affording the uniforms. Uniforms For Hope has provided more than 1,000 school uniforms to needy students in 24 elementary schools in the San Juan Capistrano and Anaheim School Districts.

All the staff Uniforms For Hope work on a 100% volunteer basis, so that virtually 100% of the funds raised are deployed to uniforms for children.

Our main goal is to get these children out of poverty and educated. Many children we help are the first in their families to attend school and have a chance at a better life with more opportunities. Education is the future. Uniforms For Hope is changing the world one uniform at a time. Extreme poverty brings with it hopelessness. With “Uniforms for Hope,” children can get an education and have hope for a better future.