Meet Our Founder

Refill Hope was founded by Hannah Carter, inspired by a lifetime of witnessing quiet, meaningful acts of service rooted in community. From an early age, Hannah saw what it meant to give without expectation through her great uncle, Salvador “ Tio Nano” Castillo Jr., who devoted his life to helping others, often praying over unhoused communities at night and offering whatever little he had with deep compassion and humility.

The same spirit of care appeared in a moment Hannah has never forgotten: watching someone she cared deeply about stop to pick up a piece of litter and say, “We need to take care of our planet, we live here too.” In that small gesture, she saw a reflection of a value she holds close—that stewardship, kindness, and responsibility extend beyond people to the world around us. Surrounding that belief is a community of friends and family connected through unlikely, almost unbelievable circumstances, proving that community doesn’t always make sense, but it always shows up.

These influences inspire Hannah daily to create real, tangible change. Refill Hope exists to encourage people to care for one another, to take responsibility for the spaces we share, and to remind us that when we act as a community, hope becomes something we can refill, together.