About Us - Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan Founder/ Author
The Founder/Author
Joan Hecht is the Founder and President of Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan and author of the award-winning book, The Journey of the Lost Boys. Ms. Hecht toured as a professional backup singer in the 1980's with The Johnny Van Zant Band and is now retired from a career in sales and marketing. She has been working full time with the Lost Boys, on a volunteer basis, since their arrival to the US in 2001, helping them to acclimate to their new lives in America and to further their education.
Ezekiel Kong Deng and Mama Joan
Joan unofficially adopted one of the lost boys named, Ezekiel Kong Deng, who passed away in June of 2002 following a failed liver transplant. Because of her deep love for Ezekiel, and all the Lost Boys, it became her dream to establish a foundation to assist with the medical and educational needs of Lost Boys and their families living in the US and Africa.
After watching them struggle, working full time jobs and attending classes, while sleeping as little as two hours a day, in 2004 she established Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, a 501© (3) non- profit foundation. To date, the Alliance has assisted over 55 local Lost Boys and Sudanese with college tuition and books and has provided life changing surgeries or medical treatment for over 100.
The Alliance supports various projects in Southern Sudan, such as funding for the construction of an X-ray facility at the Lost Boys and Girls Memorial Hospital in Werkok, a children’s house at an orphanage in Yei that houses 10-12 children and their caregivers, as well as 30 beds donated to the orphanage, distribution of survival kits in Bar-El-Ghazel, donations towards the construction of a school in Yomchiir, the purchase and distribution of Solar Lights, and goats for Women at Risk, as well as numerous other projects.
Ms. Hecht and local Lost Boys speak actively around the US to various colleges, schools, business groups, Churches and Synagogues raising awareness for the plight of the Sudanese people. She has been invited to briefings and discussions regarding Sudan, at The White House and The State Department. If you’d like to book Ms. Hecht and one of the Lost Boys for your next event contact Wolfman Productions.
In addition to her role as President of the Alliance, Ms. Hecht is also the Chair of Education for The Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan: The National Network, based in Washington DC. In March 2009, she was selected by "The Network" to participate in a humanitarian/assessment delegation to Southern Sudan.
Ms. Hecht’s book, The Journey of the Lost Boys, was awarded "First Place in Education" at the International POW! (Promoting Outstanding Writers) Book Awards, earning her the title "2005 Author of the Year." It is currently used in college classes across the US. A portion of the funds from the sale of her book benefits the needs of Sudanese in the US and abroad.
Joan Hecht is a woman making a difference in the world. In recognition of her volunteer work with the Lost Boys, Ms. Hecht received the “2007 Local Heroes Award” from Bank of America and the “Daily Points of Light Award,” from the National Points of Light Foundation, as well as "The Points of Light Award" from Florida governor, Charlie Crist. In 2008, she was awarded the "2008 Florida Sunshine State TESOL Presidents Award" and was the First recipient of the "2009 Hands Across the Water International Outreach Award" from Hands On Jacksonville. Ms. Hecht and her family, along with Jacksonville Lost Boys, were also featured in the November issue of Disney’s Family Fun Magazine, as Grand Prizewinners in the FamilyFun national Family Volunteers Contest.
Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan is a registered 501 C-3 Foundation EIN #59-3808251
