Hope in Action

Thank you for Unlocking Opportunities

This #GivingTuesday, we want to thank all of our donors, volunteers, and partners for making our 10 Days of Unlocking Opportunities campaign a huge success! Because of you, we raised more than $575,000 for the important work we do each and every day to unlock opportunities for the children, families, and seniors we serve! Thank you for giving and believing in Hope!

From Quiet Kid to Scientist

How Hope through Housing Builds Bright Futures

Seven years ago, when Joey first came to Hope through Housing’s afterschool program at Villaggio on Route 66, he was shy and reserved. Afterschool program coordinator Stephanie Joseph immediately noticed that Joey was hiding his academic interests and motivation. “I could see the different gifts and talents that he had within him,” Miss Joseph said. “Joey is extremely smart. But I always felt he downplayed his smartness because of wanting kids to like him so much.”

According to Miss Joseph, the beauty of Hope through Housing’s afterschool programs, part of the larger Building Bright Futures initiative, is that they not only offer working parents a safe place for their children to go after school – they offer a nurturing environment where kids can grow. After spending a lot of time talking to Joey, Miss Joseph saw that his desire to fit in with his peers was preventing him from pursuing his talent in math and science.

As he got older, Miss Joseph started assigning Joey leadership roles. When younger kids needed help with math homework, she asked Joey to step in. On days when Miss Joseph offered science experiments as part of her STEM program, she asked Joey to put on his lab coat from his honors science class and lead the other kids through the experiments as the program’s resident scientist. As Joey continued to help out, he relaxed and started conquering his social insecurities. “We started seeing Joey blossom,” Miss Joseph said.

Greg Bradbard Appointed to California Volunteers Commission

Hope through Housing Foundation President Gregory Bradbard has been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Volunteers Commission. The announcement was made public on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. The 25-member Board of Commissioners carries out the mission and objectives of California Volunteers “to engage Californians in service, volunteering and civic action to tackle our State’s most pressing challenges while mobilizing all Californians to volunteer and serve in their communities.”

Commission members serve a three-year term and function as “Ambassadors of Service” in their local communities to promote service opportunities among Californians. Commissioners also participate in the approval of grant-making policies and funding proposals submitted to the Corporation for National and Community Service, advise the work of California Volunteers through participation on taskforces, assist with constituent outreach, promote community service through volunteer events, and assist in the development of the annual state service plan.

“Through the past two decades leading organizations where volunteers play a critical role in meeting our mission, I have seen the powerful impact of volunteerism on both our community and volunteers themselves,” said Bradbard. “I am honored to join California Volunteers as we continue to expand community service among volunteers young and old across this beautiful state.”

Hope through Housing relies on a strong cadre of community members who volunteer in a variety of capacities to help strengthen our reach. To learn more about volunteer opportunities helping youth or seniors, visit www.HTHF.org. For more information on California Volunteers, visit www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov.

‘Tis the Season of Giving!

Donate to our Holiday Gift Drive for Children, Teens, and Seniors!
Make the holiday season special for children, teens, families, and seniors living in National CORE affordable housing communities! This year, we’re collecting toys for our little ones, gift cards for our teens and seniors, and new clothing for all age ranges. Donate directly to Hope through Housing, host your own holiday drive, or donate items through Amazon Smiles (More information on donating through Amazon Smiles at the bottom of this email).

To donate or sign up to host a holiday drive, please visit www.hthf.org/holiday.

Year-End Giving
As the year comes to an end, we invite you to support Hope through Housing before December 31, 2021. You can help reduce your tax burden by donating appreciated stocks or mutual funds, or by making a distribution from your IRA. For more information, please contact Alyssa Cotter at acotter@hthf.org.

Donations Reimagined
Did you know you can donate your car to support Hope through Housing before year-end? We partner with CarDana, a car donation platform built on trust and transparency, to make the process easy for you. Learn more »

Amazon Smiles
Shop at smile.amazon.com and Hope through Housing Foundation will receive 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases at no extra cost to you. Same products, same prices, same services as the Amazon you know. You can register here. Sign in to your regular Amazon account. Once you log in, a page will pop up asking you to “select a charitable organization to start shopping.”