In a polarized country, hope may be one of the few values Americans still share, and it's easier to find than most realize, Axios' Margaret Talev writes.

• 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 organization for St. Jude, which treats pediatric cancer and other life-threatening illnesses at no cost to families, and relies heavily on donations to do so.

🤝 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%).

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."

• 🏘️ Hope "lives closest to home and in connections and small acts," Maltin says.

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Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect St. Jude Children's Research Hospital relies heavily (not entirely) on donations.

🍦 A summer treat for the nation's capital:

• D.C.-based Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park's iconic fountain is flowing again after seven years and successful repairs, Axios D.C. reports.

🌊 Sound on.