Rev. David and Polly Johnson Memorial Peace and Justice Award
Rev David & Polly Johnson
Memorial Peace & Justice Award
Purpose
The Rev. David and Polly Johnson Memorial Peace and Justice Education Award honors Rev. David and Polly Johnson’s legacy as grassroots workers for peace and justice in Palestine whose exceptional lives continue to inspire thousands. The award recognizes House of Hope Vision School volunteers and supporters who have made exceptional contributions to the movement for peace and justice through trauma-informed childhood education in Palestine.
2026 Recipient:
Tom Fellner
Each year, House of Hope honors an individual whose life and work embody the spirit of the Rev. David & Polly Johnson Memorial Peace & Justice Award — a commitment to courageous relationship-building, moral clarity, and steadfast advocacy for a just peace in the Holy Land.
This year, our recognition carries particular gratitude.
For 2026, we are profoundly honored to present this award to Tom Fellner — a partner, advocate, and builder whose impact on House of Hope has been both visible and quietly foundational. Quite simply, without Tom’s work, far fewer people around the world would know the story of House of Hope.
Tom has been instrumental in shaping not only our public presence, but also the infrastructure that sustains our mission. From the creation and refinement of our website to the implementation of backend CRM technology that allows us to process donations faithfully and communicate with our global community, Tom has given his expertise generously and strategically. His leadership has strengthened our capacity, expanded our reach, and ensured that stories of Palestinian children and peace-building education are heard far beyond our immediate circle.
He was essential — and remains essential — to the growth and stability of our organization.
Tom has spent more than 30 years working in marketing, building a career that spans the corporate world and the founding and leadership of a digital agency in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. While marketing has been his professional foundation, a life-changing journey in 2017 fundamentally reshaped the direction of his work and purpose.
During a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Tom encountered the lived realities of the region in a deeply personal way. Through unexpected friendships and honest conversations, he was struck by a shared humanity that transcended politics, borders, and religious identity. That experience sparked a long-term commitment to learning, advocacy, and meaningful action in support of the Palestinian people.
In 2018, Tom partnered with House of Hope to help refresh its brand and develop a new website, amplifying awareness of the organization’s vital work in East Jerusalem. Since then, he has continued to support House of Hope through ongoing volunteer efforts, advocacy, and strategic marketing guidance.
In 2019, Tom founded Holy Land 360, a tour company designed to facilitate spiritually transformative journeys and pilgrimages to the Holy Land. These experiences are intentionally immersive, offering participants a 360-degree perspective of life in the region — across cultures, faiths, and communities. The goal is not only spiritual formation, but also a deeper awareness of the social and human realities on the ground, particularly within Palestinian communities.
Through his work with House of Hope and Holy Land 360, Tom remains committed to the pursuit of peace rooted in justice — using storytelling, education, and relational experiences to foster understanding, compassion, and lasting impact.
The Rev. David & Polly Johnson Memorial Peace & Justice Award recognizes individuals who refuse to look away, who choose relationship over rhetoric, and who act with integrity and courage in the face of complexity. Tom Fellner’s steady, faithful, behind-the-scenes and forward-facing leadership reflects the very heart of this award.
We are deeply grateful for Tom’s generosity, vision, and unwavering belief that peace is possible when we are willing to see one another fully.
Congratulations, Tom — and thank you for building with us, standing with us, and helping the world see House of Hope.
Donate Today!
Please congratulate Tom by donating to the House of Hope Peace and Justice Education Fund in the donation form below. With your generous support, we will make significant strides in expanding our programs and resources for peace and justice education.
Award Criteria
- The candidates must have made a notable contribution in the previous 12 months to House of Hope Vision School and its movement for peace and justice through trauma-informed childhood education in Palestine.
- The candidate’s speech and actions must align with Supporting Hope’s “Statement of Nonviolence”:
“We, the Supporting Hope Board of Directors, know that enduring peace and lasting solutions to conflicts between and within nations can be best achieved through nonviolent means. Therefore, we actively promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, races, and religious groups.
We seek to engage with diverse faith communities with comfort, graciously honoring each other’s religion or secular traditions and uniting in our shared humanity.
We support Palestinians working on the ground to increase their capacity for trauma resilience and economic sustainability in East Jerusalem and West Bank crisis zones. We believe that violence and hate speech are antithetical to this goal and, therefore, harmful to Palestinians, neighboring Israelis, and the global movement striving for a prosperous and free Palestine.”
- The candidate’s contributions, speech, and actions, as determined by the Johnson family, embody the spirit of Rev. David and Polly Johnson’s legacy as grassroots peace and justice activists.
Award Process
- Other members of the House of Hope Vision School Beloved Community of supporters will nominate candidates.
- Individuals can nominate a candidate through the “The Rev. David and Polly Johnson Memorial Peace and Justice Education Award” nomination form.
- The Supporting Hope Board of Directors will select a recommended winner for the Johnson family to review. After the Johnson family confirms the winner, the Supporting Hope Board of Directors will recognize the winner for their contribution,
About Rev. David and Polly Johnson
Rev. David and Polly Johnson were extraordinary people whose lives inspired many. In 2016, they co-founded Supporting Hope, a U.S. nonprofit organization that supports House of Hope Vision School's mission for peace and justice through trauma-informed childhood education in Palestine.
Polly focused much of her life on kids, and those kids have been among the main reasons she wanted to stay connected to her friends in Palestine. Polly first traveled to Palestine in the early 2000s and has returned several times, bringing David, who spent most of life as a Presbyterian minister, along with her on a few trips. Polly & David first met Manar Wahhab and Milad Vosgeuritchian, the cofounders of House of Hope Vision School, while planting olive trees in 2010. They also connected with other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Palestine, one being an Elderly Care Center in Beit Sahour and another being the Pilgrims of Ibillin. They were both very passionate about Palestine. David served as a board member of the Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church. Polly was passionate about educating people about what was happening in Palestine -- she even kept bottles of Zatoun Free Trade Palestinian Olive Oil to give out to as many people as possible to start conversations.
Over the years of their advocacy for Palestinians, they saw a fundraising need to support NGOs providing social services in Palestine. David created Supporting Hope as a 501c3 nonprofit to meet that need.
