In the inner city near North Avenue the first thing you will notice are the abandoned homes, no parks, no recreational centers, no place for youth to go but hang out in the streets. Jonathan Roiz, Founder/ President of The Hope Movement grew up in Baltimore and never forgot his roots. He faced violence, poverty; he witnessed the hurt of the people and walked in their shoes. The Hope Movement working along with local churches, community leaders and the community itself has a vision to develop a strategic plan of action to transform the most impoverished communities in Baltimore City into havens of hope. Baltimore City has developed an agreement with The Hope Movement to adopt and manage 5 vacant lots where gangs, poverty, drugs, alcoholism, violence and family dysfunction are consuming the people. The Hope Movement mobilizes a local movement of people from churches, businesses and individuals from the community to unite and volunteer their time to develop these lots into community gardens, safe parks for families and locations for outreach programs. The Hope Movement is shaking the comfort zone and uniting us as one to reach out in the mission field in our back yard, changing the atmosphere, opening the eyes of blind, releasing them from their bondage's, forming a generation of transformation. Haven of Hope Community Gardens:
Where there were once abandoned buildings and vacant lots that were consumed with trash, high grass and have become havens for drugs and violence are now being transformed into havens of hope. The Hope Movement manages vacant lots assigned by the City of Baltimore. We form a literal movement of volunteers to transform these lots into community gardens. Some gardens are simply safe places for children and families to play and spend time together as a family, creating a positive environment and inspiring a transformation in hearts and minds. Larger lots have green/ hoop houses where were we grow healthy foods. These food producing gardens incorporates a youth mentorship component providing positive guidance to youth. Volunteers work at our community gardens growing healthy foods, mentor youth and package the harvested food and deliver them to local feeding programs and to the elderly in the community. Community Outreach:
While working on these lots, the Hope Movement marches down the streets praying for the community, visit homes and conduct street outreach sharing a message of hope, planting seeds not only in soil but seeds of love in the hearts of the people, transforming communities into havens of hope. At our community gardens we work with members of the community and offer assistance to help them in areas of counseling, education, mentorship and provision of resources. We visit homes developing relationships with the community, learn about their needs and create strategic plans of assistance to help provide for the needs of their family. We organize special events at our community gardens such as concerts with positive music and speakers and set-up booths which each provide distinct resources for specific needs such values classes for youth, counseling for adults and youth, economics classes and business development training. Mentorship:
For many youth in the inner city they lack positive role-models. Many come from single family households without stability of a healthy family structure which often leads to young men and women seeking love and purpose in all the wrong places. Utilizing our community gardens The Hope Movement provides mentorship to youth. Our goal is to guide youth to finding their life’s purpose and assist them in reaching their goals to make their dreams come true. We provide mentorship through gardening projects, community development initiatives and after-school programs. Mentorship is a proven successful tool in breaking the cycle of poverty, drugs, violence, promiscuity and machoism forming a generation of transformation. After-School Programs:
Children in the inner city often have no place to go after school except to an empty house. No one to assist them with their homework, no one to offer guidance and discipline, leading them to the temptations of the street. At our community gardens we set up tents or trailers where we provide after school programs. Our after school programs are managed by volunteers who have dedicate their time several days a week to tutor youth assisting them with their schoolwork, provide fun classes such as music, art while teaching them important values to help them become positive citizens in society and inspire them to become leaders in their family, school and community. Movement Mobilization:
A voluntary, strategic alliance to enhance our ability to achieve a common purpose by sharing risks, responsibilities, resources, and rewards, transforming communities into havens of hope. The Hope Movement builds relationships with local churches, ministries, businesses, non-profits and members of the community meeting to unite in prayer, encourage one another and develop strategic plans of action and unique life-transforming programs, sharing resources, conducting missions activities, working together to bring lasting change to communities. Current Haven of Hope Lot Projects:
* 2322 E NORTH AVE
* 2324 E NORTH AVE
* 2326 E NORTH AVE
* 2330 E NORTH AVE
* 2332 E NORTH AVE
