Community. For the betterment of us all!

HOPE is a wonderful thing. And at Marian Hope, it’s what sustains us. But there is something else that makes us so successful.

The Marian Hope mission was started in the basement of founder Angie Knight’s home with just a handful of kids.

After providing years of speech therapy on a for-profit basis, she found there was a far greater need in our community.  Not only was there a significant increase in the number of children needing services and support, but in every instance where children were receiving intervention, they were pulled away from their peers, segregated from others and isolated for their services.

Something occurred to Angie.

The children, and the parents, lacked a fundamental piece necessary for increased success and family strength: COMMUNITY.

When “community” is integrated in to a child’s therapy and education, we see considerably more gains in their progress.  And here’s why:  Peer influence has incredible benefits for ALL children.  Children working through challenges thrive off of being with their friends and classmates.  Complementing the support from their therapist, a child will accelerate growth from observation, mirroring and imitation of their peers. The neuro-typical peers learn the value of individual differences and they learn to see the strengths of their peers who learn differently.

We also see positive benefits for parents / caretakers as well.

When a parent feels support and connection within the community, they feel better equipped to handle the nuances of caring for a child with special needs. They experience a sense of relief that they are not alone which gives them the energy to continue to champion for their child.

Community is so important for our mission too!  It is how we are able to serve the children who need us.  We would not be able to fulfill our mission without a strong Board of Directors, generous donor family, committed community partners and big-hearted volunteers.  Community is really the wind beneath our HOPE wings!

When we feel isolated, alone and without HOPE, it is COMMUNITY that moves us all forward.

We are so grateful to serve this community, to create community for children and families and to benefit from how our community lifts us up.

Thank you for walking alongside us in mission!