"The mission of Let Hope Rise Foundation is to foster community stability by helping people overcome challenges through programs of housing, crisis intervention, arts and mentoring."
Community Development Vision
Let Hope Rise Foundation supports three primary goals to foster stability among families in the Steele Creek community and beyond:
1. A safe place for previously homeless families in which to live, learn, play and grow.
2. Learning opportunities in music, theater, art, languages and computers
3. Inspiring courage in families and young people through mentoring and teachers who will lead, model and encourage them.
History/Who We Are
Realizing the constant stream of need challenging the Steele Creek area of Charlotte, concerned citizens formed the Let Hope Rise Foundation early in 2016 to address those needs and to foster community stability.
The Foundation provides:
1. Housing for families in crisis
2. Benevolence to meet emergency needs
3. A music and arts academy as a creative outlet for young people with these aspirations. (Starting Summer 2017)
Long-range plans include computer workshops with tutoring, a language academy to prepare people to live in a bi-lingual society, job search assistance and recreational facilities.
Our Community
The Steele Creek community in southwest Mecklenburg County, is a diverse mix of races, cultures, and economic instability.
· 40 percent minority
· Fewer than half with high school diploma.
· 96 percent of Latino households – even with multiple workers – earn under $37,000.
· 66 percent more property crime than the national average
· 44 percent more personal crime than the Charlotte metro average.
· Few recreational facilities common to communities of this size
Our Partner
Steele Creek Church of Charlotte is perched prominently in the middle of this multi-cultured community. It started in 1995 as an intentionally diverse congregation and on any given Sunday persons who speak 40 different languages are among its 2,400 attendees.
As a cooperative partner Steele Creek Church is making every square foot of its $7 million facility available as a “HopePlex” to house community programs. It is offering its classrooms for the arts and language academies and computer labs.
Our Programs
Let Hope Rise Foundation will support its mission of community stability through seven specific programs, most of which already are in place at some level, others of which await funding:
- Housing for homeless families
- Benevolence and compassionate help
- Music and Arts Academy
- Language Academy
- Job Assistance
- Computer training
- Recreational activities