Hope Haven is a community based non-profit on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that serves our community, children and families via three main programs.  We have been incorporated as a non profit and a Mississippi charity for 14 years.

OUR SHELTER HOME PROGRAM
For ten years we operated the only non profit emergency shelter for children on the Mississippi coast. Hurricane Katrina sent 6 feet of water through our entire complex in 2005 but with the grace of the good Lord and the Navy C.B.s we quickly rebuilt our home and used it to serve our community.  We used to home as temporary offices for the county social service staff and then we housed over 500 volunteers who came to the area to help our community rebuild.

In 2007 we reopened our home for children.  We hired a wonderful Christian couple who moved into the home as full time live in house parents for the children. They are licensed foster care providers and it has proved to be much better arrangement that using shift workers.  Due to changes in State regulations, we now operate as a licensed foster home. We pay our house parents a generous salary and we pay for all cost associated with the operation of the home and the care of the children.  We have two vehicles dedicated to the homes use, a seven passenger Kia and a 12 passenger Ford van.

In the fall of 2007 we were blessed to find a ten acre plot of land 15 miles inland from the coast. It has a 7 bedroom home on and a four bedroom guest cottage.  The property also has a small pond, several outbuildings and a nice barn.  Using volunteers from several different colleges “Alternative Break Programs” we renovated the barn and turned part of it into a stage complete with lights and plug ins for instruments and mikes….so our kids can sing and dance and play the various instruments we have at the home. Since moving in…we have added a large above ground swimming pool and a playground.  The children love being in the country and we love not having to worry about future flooding. 

Over the past 15 years we have cared for over 3,000 children.  We have been recognized by various different agencies and organizations for our commitment to provide the best possible care to the children we serve.

OUR HELPING HANDS PROGRAM
Our Helping Hands Program was formally implemented immediately after hurricane Katrina.  Prior to Katrina we had always worked with our local social service agencies to help children in other foster homes and needy families in the local community. After Katrina, the need for a more formal program and accounting of funds surfaced.  We received a large number of donations from other areas which we passed out to needy families, including furniture, clothing, gift cards…and many other such items.  Now, we have set aside a set amount in our budget every month to assist foster children and families and other needy families facing an economic crisis.  One of our main goals is to help families remain intact and prevent them from losing their children to the custody of the State due solely to economic difficulties. We also help foster children who have turned 18 and who have been put out of their foster homes due to their age.  Every year, we help run the local toys for needy children in the County.

ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Hope Haven is a leader in supporting other local organizations and programs that serve children.  We provide information and speakers on child abuse and neglect to the community.  We directly assist agencies who deal with the welfare of children in the community via direct monetary support and we provide space in our offices and a range of administrative support to further their child focused missions.

Hope Haven currently hosts the Center for The Prevention of Child Abuse and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act office in our spaces. We also allow the local Department of Human Service to conduct parent/child visitations in the home.  Hope Haven is a supporter of the Gulf Coast Woman’s Center For Non Violence and has recently partnered with Katrina Relief to assist individuals and families who remain homeless or may become homeless due to Katrina.  

Our overall goal is to safeguard our children and strengthen families in our community because “When you help a child today…you write the history of tomorrow.”

Guide Star Member