Mission Statement
Hope Community’s mission is to create connections that strengthen the power of community members and communities. We cultivate community leaders, build community capacity, care for the housing and community spaces we develop, and pursue equity and diversity in all we do. We value respect, connection, listening, learning, co-creation, equity, and stewardship. Our operating principles include:
+We develop both formal and informal partnerships to advance our mission.
+We design our work to strengthen multi-cultural and economically diverse community involvement and leadership, to respect different cultural perspectives, and to challenge racism.
+We reflect our strong endorsement of the leadership and power of people of color in our board and staff composition and advancement policies and practices.
+We operate organically, intentionally, and flexibly and strive to be accountable, transparent, and authentic in all we do.
+We appreciate courage, humility, patience, hope, and humor, which help make our work possible and sustainable.
Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
Hope’s work includes two distinct focus areas: housing and the built environment, and community engagement. HOUSING accomplishments 2017 included: Provided homes for nearly 700 people in 263 units of quality housing (70% affordable). Rehabilitated and extended the life of 30 Hope units. Built out 2 new community program spaces and a new 5,000 sq. ft. community garden. In our COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT work in 2017, we produced a wide variety of opportunities in which more than 1500 youth and adults were involved in activities to build community, build capacity, and organize for systems change. Program areas include Youth and Families (building confidence, social-emotional literacy, and practical/technical skills with youth ages 6 and up to prepare them for future careers and life pathways); Community Health and Resilience (building health through food, land, and community including urban agriculture, food preparation and preservation, and environmental stewardship); Art/Policy/Power (building community connections, leadership, and power through community mural projects, leadership and organizing training, and equity training and organizing campaigns); Celebrations of culture and community (annual Iftar and Open Streets events); and Community Wealth Building (building financial literacy and capacity through free community tax preparation clinics neighborhood entrepreneur training). Most of these opportunities were produced with partner organizations. In 2017, we also made a thoughtful, planned Executive Director transition, and launched a multi-faceted celebration of our 40th Anniversary year.
Current Goals
HOUSING: Continue to lead strategic planning and actions to provide alternatives to displacement and gentrification in this community. We’ll also preserve, maintain, and operate the quality housing and community spaces that are core to our mission. Our 2018 activities include: Continue work to preserve and expand naturally occurring affordable housing options. Complete rehab of 30 units at Hope; retire nearly all remaining debt on those properties. Begin Phase Two build out of the Center for Learning, Leadership, and Technology (a second floor/mezzanine level to provide additional space for community programming). COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: We’ll continue to engage at least 1,500 youth and adults in a wide variety of opportunities for which we have become well known and highly regarded. These programs are designed to be not only transactional, but also transformational.
Community or Constituency Served
The great majority of our constituency is low-income or working-class people of color; backgrounds include African, African American, Asian, Latinx, Native/Indigenous, and mixed- or multi-ethnic. More than half are immigrants or refugees, or native born to immigrant parents. Many members of our constituency identify as LGBTQ or non-binary.
Geographic Area Served
Phillips Neighborhood - Hennepin County
