HOPE on a Hill

Hope on a Hill is a community development center as an expression of Hope for Worcester's Lincoln Street Outreach initiatives. As Hope for Worcester's mission is to renew hope and revitalize communities, this center will be leveraged for the community and is responsive to the neighborhood's needs. The aim is for the community to look remarkably different than it was before through physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and relational development. This is a place where individuals are inspired, catalyzed, and sustained to grow and mature in life. This capital campaign project is an opportunity to sow a seed and be an early investor into the underserved area of Lincoln Street in Worcester, MA. Click here to make your pledge today with our goal of $100,000 to secure the property and $300,000 to acquire the space in full.

Why a community center?

Community is a key marker and driver of health and well-being. We exist in a community and need each other to thrive and flourish. At the 1,000 ft view, there are great opportunities in breaking cycles of poverty, breaking isolation and mental health limitations, creating unity across ethnic, social, and political lines, discovering freedom from addiction, and healing the brokenness in healthy living.

Through a community development and empowerment approach, we aim to equip local leaders and community members to collectively be a part of both a ground-up and top-down path of community growth. We offer programs and moments throughout the week where we open the building and cast a wide net for identifying the totality of the neighborhood through open blocks of relational care and trust building. We also have guided pathways that help meet individuals where they are at and encourage them to identify areas of growth they can take on themselves. Such opportunities are skill-based; job training, music lessons, sports clinics, nutrition classes, technology intelligence, and photo/video/audio production, among other programs.

About our phased approach:

The center proposal is a 5-phase yearly plan which details the numerous options available for serving the Lincoln Street neighborhood. Phase 1 includes a twice-a-week breakfast block plan to serve and build relationships with the community. Phase 2 includes the addition of two additional blocks of outreach for academic support or sport-based open play. Phase 3 advances an additional 2 blocks of guided programs for either the adult or youth population that includes skill-based training. Phase 4 adds an additional 2 days of guided programming. The last phase looks to then provide the hub with an additional level of community development including mentor relationships between key community leaders helping to generate jobs through entrepreneurship initiatives. Future hopes include the expansion of community centers as well as the expansion of business locations. Community leaders who develop a platform out of this café will then be able to have the capital to move on to different areas in expansion. For more information and a greater explanation of programs, financial figures, and more please email tyler@hopeforworcester.org