What is a Hope Team?

Volunteers from the faith community are forming Hope Teams similar to our community’s past response for displaced Katrina evacuees.  The Hope Teams provide WISH families with “unconditional love” by building a long term peer to peer relationship with the family. We are motivated to do so out of a faith perspective that challenges us to simultaneously uplift the God-given potential of each individual while recognizing that individuals cannot grow apart from community.  Hope Teams are the perfect compliment to the WISH Family Support Social Workers who oversee the “tough love” component of WISH.  Some examples of where Hope Teams are helping include:

v   Helping to furnish and decorate a WISH family’s apartment

v   Organizing a "pounding" to provide needed items such as sugar, flour, paper towels, toilet paper, etc., when a WISH family moves into their new apartment

v   Providing assistance in navigating summer camp options for children in the family, including helping locate camps, finding the best fit and helping apply for financial assistance

v   Working together to advocate for the WISH family's children in the school system as needed

v   Enjoying outings to the park and other places with the WISH family

v   Babysitting children while the WISH parent(s) are going to class at night to get their GED or other continuing education

v   Assisting the WISH family in formulating a budget and then meeting regularly to review the budget while providing support and encouragement - in turn, the family can help team members understand what it is like to survive on a low income.  This discussion is facilitated through our small group “Class Matters” seminar.

v   Forming lasting friendships so that team members can provide a sounding board and listening ears when a WISH family member needs someone to share feelings and concerns

Volunteer coordination is handled by the WISH staff and the Family Support Social Workers.  All volunteers are trained by the WISH Faith Community Volunteer Coordinator before assisting a family.  It is the desire of the WISH Program that every family have a Hope Team of approximately five to eight people working with them.

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