Contributed by: Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®
The Center’s Hero Campaign aims to spotlight local nonprofits amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Our goal is to raise awareness and support the community. This is our 1st post in the Q+A series featuring Focus: HOPE.
What is your nonprofit & who do you serve?
Focus: HOPE is a nationally renowned civil and human rights organization and a trusted member of the community for five decades. Founded in 1968 by Father William Cunningham and Eleanor Josaitis, Focus: HOPE provides an intergenerational, holistic mix of services to disrupt the effects of racism, poverty, and other forms of social injustice in southeast Michigan.
Early Learning
Focus: HOPE Early Learning aims to build a cradle to career pipeline of opportunity by providing quality early childhood education for newborn to five-year-olds through evidence-based models. More than 244 students and their families are educated and supported by our Early Learning programs.
Youth Development
Youth Development includes education, recreation, social justice, and leadership development activities for more than 250 students - including a 21st Century Community Learning Center, Excel Photography, summer camp, and Generation of Promise.
Workforce Development
With an extraordinary record of success in working with underserved and underrepresented adults in Southeast Michigan — having trained over 500 students in 2019 — we offer high-quality work readiness, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs in a range of in-demand career fields.
Food Justice
Our Food Program provides 41,000+ low-income seniors with monthly food packages to assist with independence and healthy living while addressing basic needs. Our program also provides important infrastructure for health screenings, income support, and tax preparation for seniors and the community at large.
Advocacy, Equity & Community Empowerment
Focus: HOPE pursues leadership as an antiracism organization by advocating for systems change, and by integrating racial equity and community empowerment offerings across all program areas. Focus: HOPE serves as a one-stop hub providing financial coaching, free tax prep, utility payment assistance, on-campus DHHS access, health screenings, a clothing closet, peer support circles, and more.
How have the communities you serve been impacted by COVID-19? And how has it impacted your nonprofit?
Focus: HOPE was founded to unite the community at a critical time. We remain committed to living out our mission to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice – no matter what. Programming has evolved due to the crisis, but we’re still serving more than 42,000 community members every month.
Our Food for Seniors program has shifted to a contactless pickup system – staff place food boxes directly into seniors’ cars. We’re also making more home deliveries, so seniors can stay safe at home.
Early learning students are receiving virtual home visits to make sure they and their families are getting the support they need (including food and diapers), and teachers are sharing educational content students can work on at home.
Workforce development training has moved online too. Some classes have been able to transition to fully online instruction, and all students have access to e-learning resources and virtual support.
Additionally, Focus: HOPE is committed to using our assets and abilities to support our community’s current needs. Special initiatives include:
Manufacturing face shields and masks through our 3D-printing capabilities
Distributing cash payments to support local families’ economic stability
Equipping our IT graduates to assist companies in adjusting to remote work
Assisting community members navigating the unemployment process
What can people and businesses do to support your organization and nonprofits generally during this unique environment?
Even COVID-19 can’t stop our mission of intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice - and we’d be honored if you’d join us with your support.
Give
Donate to support our work with individuals and families throughout Southeast Michigan during this crisis. Give here.
Volunteer
There is a great need for volunteers to pack boxes and deliver food to seniors. We provide masks and gloves and strictly follow social distancing guidelines. Learn more and sign up here.
Start Your Fundraiser from Home!
Create a fundraising page to support our COVID-19 response efforts.
Read more blogs in this series:
Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the opinions or services of Focus: HOPE. Links are being provided for information purposes only. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website's users and/or members.
