Helping others Pursue Excellence (H.O.P.E.) Strategy

The H.O.P.E. Strategy focuses on breaking down employment barriers for marginalized and underserved individuals. 

Vision –   A world where every person regardless of age, ability, or background is living and working to their full potential and highest level of independence.

Mission statements –   Helping people discover their potential and supporting them in making changes to bring this potential into the world.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement  –   Our Helping Others Pursue Excellence (H.O.P.E.) programs values diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to our mission.

We acknowledge that historical and institutional barriers—particularly racial bias and discrimination—play a role in widening the gap in employment and who has access to opportunities.  Our H.O.P.E. Strategy focuses our work on individuals who have been marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented, specifically individuals who:

• Come from underrepresented minority groups, including African American/Black, Hispanic or Latina, Bi/ Multiracial, Native American/Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander;
• Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 11302(a)(1) of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act)
• Youth who come from low-income backgrounds, specifically free and/or reduced lunch eligible.
• Have had a lack of exposure or access to computer science.
• People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided.
• People who are losing their primary nighttime residence, which may include a motel or hotel or a doubled-up situation, within 14 days and lack resources or support networks to remain in housing.
• Families with children or unaccompanied youth who are unstably housed and likely to continue in that state.
• People who are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, have no other residence, and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.
• Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement.
• Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of                      section 11302(a)(2)(C)
• Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings

We acknowledge and value the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender identity and expression, class, sexual orientation, ability, age, national origin, and religious/spiritual identities.

Our H.O.P.E. programs  welcomes into our community and programs anyone regardless of age, ability, race, sexual orientation, or religion. 

H.O.P.E. Strategy and programs will differentiate itself from its competitors by targeting participants that are marginalized and underserved.