House of Hope really started with a man named Michael, who prayed over an often-overlooked mobile home community behind his church. He wanted to move in, wanted to connect families to the church, and the church to families. In the midst of these prayers, a group of women had it put on their hearts to buy him a house in the neighborhood. Free of charge, not a penny in return, and no strings attached. Michael moved in and started forming relationships, started gathering stories, connecting people, teaching, and praying. For 5 years, he called this neighborhood home. Then the time came for his next season of life. He began to pray again over the neighborhood and the home he was gifted, which, at this point, held so many stories within its walls. He prayed for someone to continue the work that was started there. 

At the same time, Alyssa and Brooke were praying over the same neighborhood. When Michael heard of this, he had it put on his heart to offer his home to them in the same spirit in which it had been gifted to him- free of charge, not a penny in return, and no strings attached. 

In 2016, Alyssa and Brooke moved into the neighborhood. They moved in with no plans to start a nonprofit or structured ministry. Their desire was simple: be a good neighbor. They wanted to be present, intentional, and ready to listen. As relationships were formed, the needs of the neighborhood naturally arose, and they found that often the needs could be met by making a connection, by listening, by drawing on the community around the,m and the community they were forming. Youth gatherings were formed as a way to pour into the many children in the neighborhood. Clothing drives were held, diaper collections were set up, meals were shared, holidays were celebrated, and many porch conversations were had. 

As time went by, they could see that this way of life, of living side by side in the community you serve, brought with it a deeper level of trust and relationship. They also realized the vast amount of overlooked mobile home parks in the area, and that what they were doing could be replicated. So in 2018, House of Hope Ministry became an official 501c3 nonprofit, opening more doors and making the commitment to their community that they intended to stay. This is where the People Plant model was born- the idea that every neighborhood served would have a team member living there full-time to do life with their community. Not someone to come in, run a program, and leave, but someone committed to staying. 

Since then, House of Hope has expanded into multiple communities, each grounded in the same values of presence, consistency, and relationship. 

House of Hope exists because we believe that life change happens in relationships, and relationships happen when you choose to be present.