The Coalition of Hope Foundation, Inc. is a US-based 501, not-for-profit, charitable organization that provides global humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief support. COH was founded by Timothy J. Keegan in 2010. The primary goal of COH is Project Excelsior, a plan to utilize recently decommissioned Taraw class of LHA’s as its primary operations platform. These vessels, referred to as a humanitarian assistance disaster relief vessels, will serve as a sea-based platform for conducting humanitarian assistance disaster relief operations.
Operations
Haiti earthquake
Coalition of Hope Foundation CEO Tim Keegan was active in the response to the January 2010 Haiti earthquake. Keegan solicited corporations for donations of relief materials. Corporate sponsors responded and donated an estimated 1.2 million pounds of supplies for Haiti relief operations. Keegan worked with Operation Big Heart Brigade and the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command to transport the donated supplies to Haiti from the Florida collection-point at Opa-Locka Airport in Miami FL.
Hurricane Sandy
In October 2012 Hurricane Sandy devastated the US Northeast. The Coalition of Hope Foundation partnered with Catholic Relief and focused on providing assistance to residents of Rockaway Beach, Long Island, NY. A fundraising concert to benefit Rockaway Relief featuring 'Celtic Thunder' was sponsored by Coalition of Hope on 3 December 2012 Coalition of Hope also began a mold-remediation program in partnership with TruPro Restoration of Spring Brook Township, PA. Coalition of Hope Foundation ended its involvement with Hurricane Sandy relief operations in June 2013. On 18 June, CoH held a "Post Superstorm Sandy Rebuilding Resources Conference" at the Museum of Modern Art, Rockaway New York. This conference served to close out CoH's involvement in relief operations and provide the remaining stakeholders a forum to discuss best practices and lessons learned.
Project Excelsior
The Coalition of Hope Foundation's Project Excelsior focuses on acquiring LHA’s and rebuilding them as dedicated HADR/V vessels. The United States Government last released a former US Navy vessel for humanitarian missions in 1960. From 1960 through 1974, the People to People Health Foundation operated the former as the SS HOPE, cruising to bring medical relief to underdeveloped areas of the world, including South Vietnam, Peru, Ecuador, Guinea, Nicaragua, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Jamaica, and Brazil.
COH is a member of the All Partners Access Network, a U.S. Department of Defense social-networking site, which fosters information sharing across organizational and geographic boundaries.
Recent media coverage
Tallahassee Democrat "An FSU grad's big plan: Acquire a retired Navy ship to respond to humanitarian crises" September 2018 Defense Update "Navy Asked to Donate Ex. USS Nassau to Support Humanitarian Relief Worldwide" November 2013. Rock Thiz Magazine and The Pulse Magazine both ran feature stories about CoH and Project Excelsior in April 2014.
