The History of HOPE Initiative
A brief history of HOPE Initiative: HOPE Initiative (originally called the Task Force on Poverty) was born when Mayor Small, acting on a campaign promise to address poverty issues in the city, asked Jeff Kundert, Tisha Sledd, Cathy Hamilton, and Jimmy Kidd to spearhead the discussion. Tisha works with a group of ladies called Women of Hope; Jeff is director of Westminster Community Center; Jimmy is a New Castle councilman; and Cathy is a national consultant on diversity issues. (Tisha Sledd has since left HOPE Initiative, concentrating further on her own personal missions and her business.) While born from a political promise, HOPE Initiative is not tied to any political party nor person. Our mission is too big to become labeled as such.
From several meetings, a framework for the task force emerged that surpassed the original purpose; eventually we called ourselves HOPE Initiative. While yet deeply committed to addressing the city's economic plight, the task force, with input, over time, of more than a hundred citizens, enlarged its territory to include all citizens of New Castle and surrounding areas: The mission became to ensure that every citizen in this area be afforded dignity, no matter his/her station in life. HOPE Initiative will educate and advocate to that mission.
That mission could be interpreted as pretty vague; indeed, the devil is always in the details. Knowing that our country, our state, our county, our city runs on capitalism and, therefore, fosters a hierarchy of wealth, how will dignity for everyone look? We have gone initially to the basics: Is equitable thought given to every part of the city and surrounding areas when it comes to cleanliness, safety, enforcement of ordinances, police protection, education for our children, family security and well-being, community spirit, health and entertainment? Our hope is to partner with existing entities whenever possible in facilitating warranted change. For example, we partnered with ICAP and HUD in hosting the Poverty Simulation. We are partnering with ICAP, HUD, Habitat for Humanity, and the City of New Castle in addressing the housing situation in the city. We are partnering with several churches and the LOVE Center on a "back to school" festival, scheduled for this fall. We sought City help in addressing scholarships for economically strapped citizens using the local pool.
To respond to the above questions and to address the voids, we have five committees to address issues around 1) family/youth/health, 2) community involvement and public relations, 3) business, 4) government issues, and 5) education issues. Each committee, sometimes called "pillar," is charged with staying focused, looking for ways to collaborate with other people/organizations, seeking stakeholders who can help solve problems facing the city.
Along with engaging elected and acclaimed leaders in conversation around hard issues, sometimes in public and sometimes in private, we also conduct city clean-ups, sponsor the city outdoor living and garden show, educate and advocate for the 21st Century Scholarship, write grants to assist in educating the larger public around the needs of the city and surrounding area, and serve the real purpose of asking hard questions: Why are we doing this? Why haven't we done that? All while sincerely seeing beauty in our town, simply wanting it to be even more beautiful. A number of our HOPE Initiative attendees personally have taken on advocacy roles around "hot button" topics: the swim pool, abandoned houses, graduation rate, the poor seeking a hand up versus a hand out, and educating the public to the plight of our poor with the idea of being a friend to them. In October of 2009, we hosted a "visioning" forum, hoping to initiate a conversation around common goals for a city we already love and honor%u2026.and in that love, that honor, we want the city to move from good to great.
