Hands of Peace Celebrates 20 Years of Empowering American and Middle Eastern Youth, with Mother's Day Walk and Anniversary Benefit on May 22

Hands of Peace is celebrating its 20th anniversary this spring and preparing for the return of its life-changing Summer Program after two years away. Eighty American, Israeli and Palestinian teens will gather in the Chicago area in July for three weeks of dialoging and leadership. The Middle Eastern participants will live with local host families, as they embark on their peacebuilding journey and learn to raise their voices as leaders of change.

Hands of Peace, which was founded in Glenview and has grown into an international nonprofit, will celebrate "20 Years of Planting Peace" with two anniversary events. There will be a 5K Mother's Day Walk for Peace at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, at Glenview Community Church (1000 Elm St., in Glenview). This will be followed by the 20th Anniversary Benefit at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, at Loyola University's Cuneo Mansion and Gardens in Vernon Hills. The benefit will feature Hands of Peace alumni who are working for change and leading with courage. In addition, the event will honor founder Gretchen Grad and hundreds of Chicago-area volunteers who have opened their hearts and homes to the resilient Summer Program participants over the years.

"We are honoring 20 years of lives being changed by Hands of Peace. Thousands of alumni, volunteers, hosts and staff have experienced the transformative power of courageously engaging with people who are different and building a shared vision for justice and peace," said Scott Rasmussen, Hands of Peace executive director.

Tickets for the Mother's Day Walk for Peace and the benefit can be purchased at https://aesbid.com/ELP/CHBEN22.

Early-bird tables and tickets for the benefit are available through April 22. Various sponsorships also are available, including for the commemorative "20 Faces of Change" magazine highlighting the stories of 20 Hands of Peace alumni.

Hands of Peace brings together American and Middle Eastern youth, many who come from areas divided by conflict and violence. Grad came up with the idea shortly after 9/11, when she was feeling helpless and wanted to do something to bring more peace to the world. The organization was founded in 2002, and the first Summer Program was held in 2003.

Since then, Hands of Peace has expanded in size, strength and scope, with a Summer Program also now held in San Diego; alumni programs in Israel, Palestine and the U.S.; and multi-narrative tours to the Middle East for American youth and adults. Today, there are more than 700 Hands of Peace alumni leading change around the world.

For more information, go to www.handsofpeace.org