HOPE’s Mission Propelled by S. Mark Taper, Bank of the West, and U.S. Bank Foundations

HOPE is thrilled to announce that during the previous two months we were awarded $75,000 from the S. Mark Taper Foundation, $10,000 from the Bank of the West Foundation, and $5,000 from the U.S. Bank Foundation. 

As public resources become increasingly scarce to address the shortage of affordable housing in our state, HOPE has relied on community partners to sustain our mission of creating safe, stable, and affordable homes for adults with developmental disabilities. We cannot express enough how grateful we are for these community partners: individual donors, corporate sponsors, foundations, regional centers and cities, who over the years have contributed to our cause’s success.

Foundations are special amongst our community partners though. Throughout the years, they have continued to provide a steady stream of funding specific to grow internal capacity, push innovation, and expand programing. For this, we thank them and offer a special recognition of our three most recent grantors.

Newest HOPE resident Hazuki Kobayashi (center) with parents as she moves into her first apartment at Banner.

S. Mark Taper Foundation, assisting HOPE since 1999, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people's lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in our communities. Their most recent grant to HOPE, in December for $75,000, will go toward renovating two of our most unique housing projects in Long Beach. Our Daisy location includes four small bungalows on a beautiful lot centered in the historic Willmore neighborhood. This housing will eventually serve eight people with intensive behavioral needs in a new supported living environment. Our Banner property on the other hand, with its new On My Own program, will serve seven adults who are ready to move from their families’ homes and into their very first apartments. “We are so happy to have the continued trust of S. Mark Taper Foundation,” said Kristin Martin, Executive Director of HOPE. “There is a real shortage of this type of specialized housing for adults with different levels of support needs. And this funding couldn’t have come at a better time as we finalize our renovations on these two exciting projects.”

In January we also received $10,000 from Bank of the West Foundation. These funds will be used to perform renovations at a HOPE home in our northeast service area. This grant is our first with Bank of the West Foundation whose mission is to help meet the needs of the communities they serve by supporting nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving quality of life, particularly for low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. We are optimistic that this is just the beginning of a sustained and impactful relationship. 

Finally, the U.S. Bank Foundation awarded HOPE $5,000 in January to assist with the renovations at our newest College-to-Career housing in Long Beach off of Clark Avenue. U.S. Bank Foundation has been a partner with our organization since 2010, and their ongoing contributions to our cause mean so much to our team and ultimately our tenants. Their mission is to support nonprofit organizations that assist with workforce education and economic prosperity, neighborhood stability and revitalization, and arts and culture.

HOPE wishes to express our highest level of appreciation for these foundations and their dedication to making lasting, positive change in their communities. Together we are creating independence, choice, and dignity through affordable housing for those most vulnerable in our society.  

If you know of a contact at a foundation that funds community development, affordable housing, or services for people with developmental disabilities, please contact Jennifer Byram at Jennifer.byram@hope-homes.org. Your introduction could be instrumental in securing funding to create HOPE’s next home!