Finish Line: We get our most hope from our closest connections, poll finds
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
In a polarized country, hope may be one of the few values Americans still share, and it's easier to find than most realize.
Why it matters: A new poll reveals that hope is less about optimism and more about what people do. That has real implications for how organizations and communities show up for one another.
- Hope isn't abstract: 93% of Americans say it's essential to everyday life, according to a new Harris Poll commissioned by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and shared exclusively with Axios.
- The most common sources of hope aren't grand gestures or global progress — they're small, direct actions in people's lives.
- The poll was conducted for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness arm of St. Jude's, which treats pediatric cancer and other life-threatening illnesses at no cost to families, and relies entirely on donations to do so.
The big picture: Samantha Maltin, ALSAC's chief marketing and brand officer, told Axios, "Hope plays such an important role in our patients' and family journeys."
- The team behind the poll wanted to explore "the role that hope plays with Americans more broadly, not just in crisis."
- Hope "lives closest to home and in connections and small acts," Maltin says.
By the numbers: The top sources of hope are helping others (91%) and recognizing everyday successes (90%).
- 87% say small wins generate more hope than focusing on the end goal — a case for embracing action and process over perfection.
Between the lines: Only 40% of Americans feel hopeful about the world's future right now. That number rises to 52% for their community, and 68% for their own lives and the people closest to them.
- The biggest hope-stealers are losing a loved one (80%), political division (79%) and inability to afford basic needs (75%).
On the flip side, 84% say nonprofit and charitable groups give them hope, especially if these organizations have a clear vision or purpose, a trusted reputation and transparency about how donations are used.
- Among people who support causes, the greatest sense of hope comes from donating goods and supplies (39%), donating money (34%) and volunteering (28%).
Methodology: This study was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of St. Jude/ALSAC from March 23-31, 2026, among 2,510 U.S. adults who agree to participate in Harris online polls.
- The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the data for this population is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence interval.
