HOPE - Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality

One more day!! Don't forget to make those final reminder calls tonight-- tomorrow, we show up for our community.

Logistics to note:

*Parking attendants and security will assist with traffic into the Bible-Based parking lot. Carpooling will help to minimize traffic and maximize the spaces on the lot.

*Overflow parking will be available at Ben Hill Middle School, which is a half mile west of Bible-Based. The address is 5200 Ehrlich Rd. Parking attendants will direct you there as we require overflow. There will be shuttles bringing people from Ben Hill and back to Ben Hill ending at 9:30p.

*We will have blank paper tickets available to fill out at the Action, but you are encouraged to bring completed tickets to save time waiting in line.

*There is an elevator that can be used to bring people upstairs to the balcony-- ask an usher where to go if you would like to use the elevator instead of the stairs.

*Baby rooms will be available for parents who may need to step away to quiet or nurse their children.

🕖 Monday, April 20th
Sign-in will begin at 6p, and the event will begin at 7p

📍Bible-Based Fellowship Church Tampa Bay, 4811 Ehrlich Rd

In 20 short days, 1,600 community members will seek leadership from County, City, and School District officials to take concrete steps towards addressing the affordable housing crisis, reducing flooding, and improving our public school system's ability to serve children with special needs.

Your presence makes a difference! We are standing for our neighbors-- and we stand stronger when we stand together. Make sure it's on your calendar-- and make sure to be making your phone calls to get SIX others to join with you-- so at least THREE of them actually show up. Details below:

🕖 Monday, April 20th, 2026
Sign-in will begin at 6p, and the event will be called to order at 7p

📍 Bible-Based Fellowship Church Tampa Bay, 4811 Ehrlich Rd

On Tuesday, hundreds of justice seekers showed up for our 2026 Rally to prepare for the April 20th Nehemiah Action. We welcomed Greater Mt Carmel AME Church into HOPE membership, heard exciting reports from our research committees, and prepared to bring over 1,600 people to the Nehemiah Action.

At the Nehemiah Action, 1,600 community members will seek leadership from County, City, and School District officials to take concrete steps towards improving our housing and education systems and strengthening flooding resiliency. Don't miss it-- your presence makes a difference! Details below:

2026 Nehemiah Action

🕖 Monday, April 20th, 2026
Sign-in will begin at 6p, and the event will be called to order at 7p

📍 Bible-Based Fellowship Church Tampa Bay, 4811 Ehrlich Rd

Now, the countdown begins... just 25 days until the 2026 Nehemiah Action!

The 2026 HOPE Rally is just four days away!

Join with 350 others as we hear reports from our issue committees, make commitments, and prepare to bring 1,600 together at our April 20th Nehemiah Action.

Every person matters-- together, we will win a more just community.

🕖 Tuesday, March 24th, 2026
Sign-in begins at 6:30p, and the event will be called to order at 7p

📍Mt Calvary SDA Church, 4902 N 40th St

It was amazing to attend the ACTS Clubhouse open house. We learned that there are over 100 members, around 40 members just this past year have become employed, and countless members have gotten their GED.

But numbers don’t tell the whole story—it was amazing to hear members share what the Clubhouse means to them: it gives them community, it gives them social and job skills, it gives the pride. A member getting their first ever job or a member becoming verbal and socializing. Whether they are volunteering or preparing themselves for the workforce or just need a safe community to go to, lives are being transformed.

The Clubhouse is an amazing place for people with a mental health diagnosis to be a part of for a work-ordered day, shared responsibility, ownership and empowerment, peer support, leadership roles, and employment and education support.

If you know someone who can benefit from this program, please help connect them.

HOPE Leaders attended a three-day training in Orlando, joining with others from across Florida to develop skills around power building and negotiations!

360 clergy and leaders gathered for HOPE’s 37th Annual Convention to celebrate justice and community!
We welcomed two new congregations — Sacred Heart Catholic Church and First Presbyterian Church of Brandon — and celebrated progress on Affordable Housing and Care for Creation.

We also selected our new issue: Youth and Education! A committee will soon begin researching local challenges to develop winnable solutions for our April 21st Nehemiah Action.

Join us for our Research-to-Action Kickoff on November 25th at 6:30 pm to learn more and get involved! Email us at [email protected] for more information.

HOPE's 37th Annual Convention is just 1 week away! Join 400 interfaith clergy and leaders on October 28th at 7:00 pm at Mt. Calvary Seventh-Day Adventist Church to unite around our shared call to do justice, hear issue updates and testimonies, approve our future work together, and more!

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2025/09/25/tampa-breaks-ground-on-first-3-d-printed-homes

Another amazing development breaks ground and a further testament to the importance of public-private partnerships needed to address the affordable housing crisis.

This development received $1.5 million of HOPE Funds.

Tampa breaks ground on first 3-D printed homes The project is by the Community Development Corporation of Tampa with support from Hillsborough County.

Clergy and Leaders gathered on October 7th to get ready for our first big event of the HOPE year — our October 28th Convention where we will gather 400 leaders from across county!

We shared with each other stories and concerns that surfaced from the 70 Listening Meetings carried out this fall and made recommendations regarding our future work together.

At the Convention, HOPE will vote to tackle one new community problem. The five categories up for vote are: Youth/Education, Senior Care, Criminal Justice, Homelessness, and Transportation.

We look forward to seeing you and 400 others on October 28th at 7:00 pm at Mt. Calvary Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 4902 N 40th St., Tampa!