• Hope Street will provide real, tangible hope for the least, the last and the lost in our central city.
• To become a thriving Christian ministry, drawing our support from individuals, foundations, churches and other Christian groups, as well as secular organizations.
• Hope Street will provide new hope for those who have drifted in and out of hospitals, prisons and treatment centers, who have long been a burden on the city resources.
• We will provide an alternative solution to a societal problem which has stretched community resources and drained government funds for years with very limited success.
• Hope Street will be a place where permanent healing will occur, where real transformation takes place. The power of God’s Holy Spirit will be clearly evident at Hope Street through the miraculous transformation of a substantial number of individual’s lives.
• People will leave Hope Street truly changed! They will be employed or employable, and well on their way to becoming productive members of our community.
• Hope Street will make a difference in a substantial way in the central city by impacting many lives through the healing power of Jesus Christ.

Our “program” consists of strong bible teaching and Christian Discipleship is the core of what we do. We also expect strong accountability, an expectation that each person work, pay their membership fees and helps provide for their own “recovery in Christ”. Each member is expected to comply with stringent rules, curfews and pass regular random alcohol and drug urine tests. They must also attend a minimum of 5 bible studies per week. They must establish goals and review those goals regularly with staff. But the real “program” if you will, is the life changing power of the Holy Spirit that comes to our members through their faith and through being disciples of Jesus Christ!!!

• In August of 2000, we were able to purchase our own building and move from 6 poorly maintained rented houses on Michigan Street to our current location at 2522 W. Capitol Dr. with the help of a bank loan and a grant from the Fleck Foundation.
• We maintain fiscal oversight by a professional accounting firm. Tom MacDonald is our CPA and it is his firm. We have created our own QuickBooks accounting system from day one which is reviewed by them quarterly and they do a year end review. In late 2006 we upgraded to QuickBooks for not for profits 2007 edition.
• In 2006 we contracted to have our books audited for the first time by a separate accounting firm.
• In 2000 we developed a donor database for our important lists of contacts, churches, business and contributors which we use for our mailings. In early 2007 we have upgraded to a better donor base management software program called Giftworks.
• In 2003 we kicked off a direct mail fund raising campaign to enable us to depend more heavily on individual contributions. In 2004 we received a substantial grant to initiate a major donor acquisition and fund raising campaign. This initiative over the years has become self supporting and currently provides for approximately 27% of our annual operating budget.
• We now have over 16 supportive groups/bible studies a week at Hope Street. In 2002 our residents attended over 6,000 groups held here at Hope Street; in 2003 they attended over 6,700, in 2004 over 7,200 and 8,671 in 2005, in 2006 they over 9,000 groups and in 2007 we climbed to over 16.000 because of the addition of several new groups and higher expectations of residents.
• In each of our first eight fiscal years, we have had a balanced budget with all excess funds used for building repairs and improvements.
• In late 2005 we purchased another building across the street from our main facility and added 26 more beds bringing our capacity to 72 beds and then again in late 2006 we purchased another building bringing our capacity to 88 beds which allowed us to create a separate facility for women.
• In 2002 we started the voluntary Sunday Worship services at our building with currently well over half the residents attending worship services here. Today it is a thriving service that has become a vibrant part of our ministry.
• In 2006 we did an organizational assessment by Sam Macklem from McDonald Schaefer through a grant from the Nonprofit Management Fund. The results were great and brought us a better blueprint for our future. We coupled this with a long range board planning meeting and we are currently putting the finishing touches on a 3 to 5 year plan.
• 85% of our members are working, most in full time jobs, some with exceptional jobs with good income.
• Creation of our Health and Fitness Center through donated equipment in 2003 and we expanded and enhanced the facilities in 2005.
• Finally, after years of planning and prayer we started Hope Works. This focuses on Christian Discipleship, Career Development, Job Training and Rehabbing boarded up Inner City Houses by using Hope Street Residents. We are on our second property at this time.
• In late 2007 we created a classroom which will provide residents with various educational opportunities.
• In late 2007 we created a new Worship Center. A beautiful room for our Sunday Worship Services to be held each week.
• THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND THE ONE WE ARE THE MOST PROUD TO BE A PART OF, IS SEEING SO MANY LIVES TRANSFORMED BEFORE OUR EYES HERE.
• Hope Street has an updated web site at: www.hopestreetministry.org, other success stories and activities can be viewed there.

• Receive and exchange client referrals with a wide variety of agencies and organizations including: Aids Resource Center of Wisconsin-MAPS, YWCA, Open Gate, Franciscan Peacemakers, White’s Residential, Prison Fellowship, Probation and Parole, Genesis Detox Center, Matt Talbot Lodge, WCS, Salvation Army, Mt. Sinai, Milwaukee Outreach Center, Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Teen Challenge, Genesis Residential, Churches, Milwaukee Women’s Center and Transitional Living Care Network programs. In other words, we have worked to be integrated into the current service delivery system.
• On-going efforts to consult with other Christian Ministries in the central city including: The Rescue Mission, Teen Challenge of Wisconsin, Parklawn Assembly of God Church, Elmbrook Churche, BASICS, Prison Fellowship, Project Heat, and numerous Inner City Pastors and ministries.
• Receive client employment assistance from and various temporary employment services.
• Serve on the Board of Directors of United Garden Homes Neighborhood Association and are active in various efforts in our neighborhood to improve safety and reduce crime.
• Receive food from Second Harvest for our Food Pantry.