It started on a yellow napkin and a black pen.
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On a cold and cloudy January day, our founders, David and Angela, sat at a Wendy's restaurant near their college disheartened and frustrated by seeing the amount of barriers that were hindering Hispanic youth from achieving academic success.
As high school students, they too experienced being undocumented, racial labels, as well as being first generation in the US, yet, they managed to push through, go to college and pursue their dreams.
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David and Angela (or as the HoPe Fam calls them, DNA) knew in the deepest of their souls that it was their duty to do something that would help elevate students and create a path to help them thrive!
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With nothing more than a yellow napkin, a black pen, and a fire in their heart, they wrote "H.O.P.E." and filled it in with the "Hispanic Organization Promoting Education," and just like that, HoPe was born.
THE WORD HOPE IS DESCRIBED AS A FEELING OF EXPECTATION AND DESIRE FOR A CERTAIN THING TO HAPPEN. YET, WE KNEW HOPE HAD THE CAPACITY TO BE MORE THAN A WORD.
HoPe became something tangible.
Something you could breathe, live and love.
Going back to their alma mater in 2009, North Gwinnett High School became the home of the first ever HoPe Leadership Chapter. Serving 20 students in an after-school leadership and education program, HoPe was unlike anything the community had ever seen. As word about HoPe quickly began to spread, students reached out to DNA ready to become trailblazers by being founding members of their schools chapter.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009, DNA TOOK $300 OUT OF THEIR SAVINGS TO COMPLETE THE INCORPORATION PROCESS.
In November 2009, HoPe, Inc became an Official Nonprofit Organization.
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The HoPe Leadership Chapters began to multiply across the community with many more students wanting to join the movement.
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HoPe is a nonprofit organization building a sense of belonging for high school students to succeed through leadership development, educational resources and community service.
HoPe exists to provide students a community where they can lead, serve, and thrive.
We believe:
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You were created with a reason and with a purpose.
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Everyone has the potential to accomplish their dreams.
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In the power of youth.
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Every student is one caring individual away from being a success story.
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We are stronger together.
You are not alone.
The HoPe Family is here.
WE ARE THE COMMUNITY YOU HAVE BEEN LONGING FOR.
This is how we’ve been elevating students:
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- SINCE 2009 -
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88 HIGH SCHOOLS
WE'VE ESTABLISHED HoPe LEADERSHIP CHAPTERS IN 88 HIGH SCHOOLS.
100% GRADUATION RATE
WE HAVE ACHIEVED A 100% GRADUATION RATE AMONG ALL OF OUR SENIOR MEMBERS.
+20MM DOLLARS EARNED
HoPe STUDENTS HAVE EARNED OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS.
What Now?
It's been 15 years since DNA wrote HoPe on the yellow napkin,
and we are stronger than ever. HoPe is providing thousands of Hispanic high school students the platform to be leaders whose actions bring about real change in their community. We are equipping students with resources and opportunities to apply for college, obtain scholarships and reach educational and professional success.
What began with an idea on a yellow napkin with a black pen continues to grow and impact lives because of the extraordinary individuals that have joined the #HoPeFam!
The HoPe team continues to empower the lives of students daily through their never-ending commitment to the success of our members. That fire that DNA shared has been ignited in hundreds of alumni and community members who now have joined the movement. HoPe is more than an organization, it is a family; the HoPe Family. We welcome students, parents, teachers, administrators, donors, supporters and the community at large to join us as we continue growing, expanding, and demonstrating the true potential of our Hispanic youth in America.
And as we like to say...
The story continues, be part of the story.
