Building Hope at Scale: Ethan Forhetz on Convoy of Hope’s Mission to End Generational Poverty

For most of his career, Ethan Forhetz told other people's stories. Today, he helps tell the story of an organization working to transform lives around the world. 

As the National Spokesperson and Vice President of Public Engagement for Convoy of Hope, Ethan has a front-row seat to the challenges of poverty, hunger, and disaster response, and to the remarkable power of partnerships, generosity, and hope. 

His story is ultimately about more than humanitarian aid; it's about helping people build a future where they no longer need it.

The Tailspin:

Ethan spent twenty-five years on local television reporting the news. Alongside his wife Sarah, also a television journalist, Ethan spent decades covering stories about struggling communities, disasters, and human-interest stories. 

Through that work, they became familiar with Convoy of Hope, the humanitarian organization headquartered in their hometown of Springfield, Missouri.

As journalists, they approached the organization with healthy skepticism.

“We really got to know Convoy of Hope because we knew some of the people who worked here,” Ethan says. “Incredible people — but as journalists in town got to look at Convoy with a critical eye.”

What they found was an organization whose impact matched its reputation.

Flash forward to 2020 when both Ethan and Sarah found themselves wrestling with a similar feeling.

“We were both feeling like it was time for us to do something else with our skillset.”

The question wasn't whether journalism mattered. It was whether they were being called to contribute in a different way.

“We wanted to do something that we felt like was more part of the actual day-to-day solution.”

What began as a conversation eventually became a career change. Ethan joined Convoy of Hope and found a new way to tell stories — stories of hope, resilience, and transformation.

“I get to use some of the skills I used from television, but also to tell a good news story.”

The Work:

Today, Ethan helps tell the story of an organization operating on a remarkable scale.

Convoy of Hope currently works in 40 countries through three interconnected initiatives: children's feeding, women's empowerment, and agriculture. Together, those programs are designed to do more than provide immediate relief.

“We work around the world to try to end generational poverty.”

The organization's children's feeding program alone currently serves more than 677,000 children every school day.

“We tie those meals to schools because what we're trying to do is help the kids eventually be self-sufficient.”

The programs become even more effective when they work together.

“When these three things work together, we're not adding to, we're multiplying the effect that we're able to have.”

Agriculture may be the clearest example. Rather than creating dependency, Convoy teaches farmers how to dramatically increase yields, allowing communities to feed themselves and generate income.

“We've learned one thing, Buddy, that when people can grow their own food, guess what? They don't need our food.”

One of Ethan's favorite examples comes from Nepal, where Convoy began agricultural training after a devastating earthquake.

“One year ago, farming on my own, I was making 1500 rupees. One year later, after learning how to farm properly by Convoy of Hope, I'm now making 60,000 rupees.”

Years later, that same village had become a model for agricultural success.

“That village is now making 10,000 US dollars a day.”

Those stories reinforce Convoy's belief that aid works best when it creates independence.

“The best news of all is that Convoy of Hope is no longer working in that village.”

Meanwhile, the organization continues investing in infrastructure to expand its reach. Convoy recently opened new regional distribution centers and is completing a major manufacturing and packaging facility designed to support its ambitious goal of feeding one million children every school day by 2030.

“Our goal is a million kids every school day by 2030.”

The facility will dramatically expand Convoy's capacity to respond to disasters and support long-term feeding programs.

“The sky is really the limit.”

The Tailwind:

As Convoy grows, Ethan says the organization remains focused on stewardship and sustainability.

“More than 90 cents of every dollar goes where the donor wants it to go.”

That commitment drives everything from financial decisions to volunteer engagement.

One of the organization's most remarkable assets is its network of volunteer truck drivers — many of them retired professionals who donate their time and expertise to deliver supplies across the country.

“These are really salt of the earth people who want to help others.”

For Ethan, the true measure of success isn't how many programs Convoy launches or how many countries it enters.

It's whether communities eventually no longer need Convoy at all. The organization's goal isn't permanent dependency.

“When we move in, there is a plan to leave,” he says. “Our goal is to help them set up a system that is sustainable.”

And when that happens — when a village, family, or community is thriving on its own — that's when Convoy knows its work has succeeded.

“When we get to do that and see it happen and then pull out of an area because they don't need us, that's the best there is.”

Looking ahead, Ethan hopes to remember not just Convoy's growth, but the purpose behind it — it's about creating something larger than an organization itself.

“None of this is to build a charity,” Ethan says. “It's to build something that is a help to people, that offers hope in difficult situations and helps people to be able to stand on their own and live a better life.”

To hear more about Ethan Forhetz's journey from journalism to humanitarian work, Convoy of Hope's global impact, and what it takes to build hope at scale, listen to the full episode of re:Purpose with Buddy Teaster.