Alyssa Milano’s “Hope: Project Animal Rescue” Celebrates The Innate Goodness Of Children

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Alyssa Milano wrote “Hope: Project Animal Rescue" to encourage and champion a child’s innate desire to help others. This second installment of her series provides resources for young folks to take part in community organizing.

Video Transcript

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So that's why I was really excited to check out this book, "Hope Project Animal Rescue," because the timing seems really appropriate.

ALYSSA MILANO: Yeah.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Given all of the people who are fostering and adopting animals right now. So let's talk about the book. Why was this a topic that you wanted to cover for children?

ALYSSA MILANO: Well, this is book two in a series. And book one was called "Hope Project Middle School." And really, the idea behind the series, is that I wanted to celebrate this innate goodness that kids have. And also this innate emotional availability and desire to help those that need it. And I feel like kids have that in them. And then right around middle school, when things get a little harder for children and they become more self-reflective, and maybe lose some of that self-esteem, we don't encourage them to continue to want to do good. Right?

So this is really a book series about a young girl who wants to change the world, but she has to get through middle school first. And book one was all about her finding her voice and finding the confidence within herself to use her voice. And book two is all about community organizing. So her local animal shelter is being shut down. So Hope becomes a community organizer to try to keep the animal shelter open.

And so, in the back of every book, I give kids, along with my amazing co-author, Debbie Rigaud but we give kids tools on how to fundraise, how to raise awareness for certain issues that are important to you. How to speak up for the vulnerable. So it's really just encouraging what I believe every kid has in their heart, which is this innate ability to hope for a brighter tomorrow and lend a hand when it's needed.