Founder
“I founded Point Hope so that I could accomplish some things I wanted to do for children who had no one to advocate for them, children who had no voice. Since I have been blessed with a voice on the radio each night, I thought I would use my celebrity position and my financial resources to help these kids.”
Delilah, the most-listened-to-woman on radio in North America, fell in love with radio as a fifth-grader in her hometown of Reedsport, Oregon. In seventh grade she landed her first on-air job, after winning a speech contest which was judged by two men who owned the local radio station. Her school mascot was the “Reedsport Warriors” and she reported school news and sports on a show called “Delilah Luke, on the warpath” on KDUN-AM, a small station in town. Today, her soothing voice, open heart and love of music has expanded her audience from the folks in Reedsport to more than eight million people on over 200 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada.
Her distinctive blend of story-telling, sympathetic listening and encouragement intertwined with adult contemporary soft rock makes her top ranked in most markets among women 25-54 years of age (although we have it on good authority, the truckers themselves, that many professional drivers navigate the nation with Delilah!).
She adds, “My audience is much like me and the several women working on the show, who were once listeners. We are single parents who work hard to strike a balance between family and work life. We also enjoy our friendships and remember to laugh as much as possible.”
Delilah is a single mother of 12 children, seven of whom she adopted; four of them were from the foster care system in Washington State and four of them were Liberian refugees living in Ghana, West Africa. She advocates for reform in the foster care system and lives the belief of finding Forever Families for as many children as there are available to adopt.
Delilah is also an author (her two most recent books: Love Someone Today and Love Matters), an artist, a lyricist, a seamstress, a remarkable cook, a gardener, a mother, a grandmother, an equestrian and an entrepreneur. Along with a good friend who is also an artist, Delilah once painted and “bedazzled” a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, turning it into a piece of art on wheels! Delilah also hosts “Paint The Town” events across America, going to once beautiful cities and helping them to restore the beauty to their buildings and pride in their communities.
Delilah loves her radio work, because it has allowed me to bring together a distinct community of people who reach out to help one another. “We don’t try to fix people. We listen; we sympathize; we empathize. If the show has a message, it’s listen to your own gut; trust your own intuition; go where it leads. Don’t give up.”
She has much the same words for those who want to help and want to make a difference in the world:
“Look into your heart and discover what you love to do and how to do what you love for others. If you love to cook, find out if there is a church or program in your community that has a ‘meals on wheels’ program for seniors or shut-ins. I know there is a person in your neighborhood who is an overwhelmed single parent. Ask him or her if you could prepare a meal once or twice a week for them. Little efforts like that can make a world of difference in the life of a single mom or dad who is feeling exhausted and burned out. Your thoughtful, giving and caring action is a blessing. If you are into sports, volunteer to coach a baseball team or teach a class at the YMCA or here’s an idea, go play a game with a kid who is lonely or disadvantaged. Open your eyes and I guarantee your heart will follow to the millions of opportunities that exist right in your neighborhood. Love and caring is a blessing both to be given and received. And if you love to garden consider planting extra rows of corn or beans that you can donate to a local food bank. If you have fruit trees that go unpicked, make a mental note to donate the fruits this fall to the same food bank or to a family you know that has limited resources.
No matter how poor you are right now, there is someone else who is a LOT worse off and you can bless them with things other than finances. You can talk to a shut in, visit someone in a nursing home who is lonely, volunteer with a scouting program, read to kids at a public library or grade school the list of ways to be more significant in our world is endless. Just make a commitment to do something to bless another person, and watch how quickly doors will open for you to make a difference!
If you would like to know more about Delilah, tune into a radio station near you or follow Delilah at delilah.com.