A heartfelt and riveting collection of stories that demonstrate how we can make a difference, help others and invite light to some of life’s darkest moments.
Danielle’s stories are heartbreaking, inspiring and filled with hope. Wild Hope Now is an effective tool to help us spread the word about Afya’s critical work around the world.
100% of the proceeds support
The Afya Foundation
Danielle speaks to corporations, large and small groups, and book clubs on a variety of topics, including her founder’s story, her book Wild Hope Now, improving healthcare systems worldwide, and how your two hands can make a difference, to name a few.
In addition to corporate speaking engagements, Danielle is available in the Tri-State area to speak to large book groups. It’s a remarkable experience to speak with her about her work and passion.
Request A Date
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Tarrytown, NY
NYU Steinhardt
New York, NY
Sponsored by The Print Center and Columbia Alumni Association
Philadelphia, PA
Interviewed by Elyse Klayman
Scarsdale Public Library
Hastings on Hudson Library
Hastings, NY
Keynote Speaker
New York State Occupational Therapy Annual Conference
Pace University
Department of Occupational Therapy
Tarrytown, NY
Dominican College
Blauveldt, NY
Programs in Occupational Therapy
NYU
Danielle Butin’s life changed with an epiphany on the plains of the Serengeti. She had no idea it would change millions of other lives too. As a former healthcare executive, Ms. Butin understood that medical supplies in the United States were being discarded due to federal regulations — millions of pounds of usable medical supplies and equipment are sent to landfills each year.
Danielle conceived of a new concept, rerouting and distributing these supplies to those in need globally. In 2007, she founded the Afya Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit. Since its inception, Afya has rescued and shipped medical supplies and humanitarian aid valued at $63 million to 83 countries while diverting over 9.5 million pounds of waste from landfills. By saving vital supplies from landfills and fighting healthcare inequities, Afya delivers for people and the planet, saving lives and making an immeasurable difference worldwide.
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Danielle Butin’s life changed with an epiphany on the plains of the Serengeti. She had no idea it would change millions of other lives too. As a former healthcare executive, Ms. Butin understood that medical supplies in the United States were being discarded due to federal regulations — millions of pounds of usable medical supplies and equipment are sent to landfills each year. Danielle conceived of a new concept, rerouting and distributing these supplies to those in need globally. In 2007, she founded the Afya Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit. Since its inception, Afya has rescued and shipped medical supplies and humanitarian aid valued at $63 million to 83 countries while diverting over 9.5 million pounds of waste from landfills. By saving vital supplies from landfills and fighting healthcare inequities, Afya delivers for people and the planet, saving lives and making an immeasurable difference worldwide.
Ms. Butin has been recognized by the New York State Senate as a Woman of Distinction, the Voices of African Mothers, the Clinton Foundation, Eli Lilly, the United Hospital Fund for Puerto Rico, and the Greater New York Hospital Association. In addition, Afya has twice received the Westchester National Disability Employment Awareness Award for innovative employment. Her story and Afya’s remarkable work has been featured in Real Simple, MORE, and Family Circle, on the Katie Couric Show, and on Good Life Project radio. The Afya Foundation has been covered by national sources such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, while various initiatives have been highlighted by local news sources. Ms. Butin’s full story is now recounted in her autobiography, Wild Hope Now.
Ms. Butin received her Masters in Public Health with a specialization in Geriatrics and Gerontology at Columbia University and her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from New York University. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University. Prior to founding Afya, she ascended the corporate ranks at UnitedHealthcare and Oxford Health Plans. Ms. Butin drew on her background as an OT to develop Afya’s pre-vocational programs for at-risk populations, ensuring that older adults, young adults with ASD and IDD, veterans, incarcerated men and women, and other populations that are too often excluded from philanthropy are welcomed as volunteers; today she still oversees 50 graduate OT students’ fieldwork at Afya each year.
Wild Hope Now shares the singular story of Afya, opens our eyes to how we can change lives by letting hope run wild, and is available for purchase on Afya’s website at AfyaFoundation.org.
Click the links below to download.