OUR MISSION
City Hope is the living room for those without enough living space in the Tenderloin. We provide a trusted gathering place and creatively offer as many elements of home as possible for our neighbors on the margins.
OUR VALUES
At City Hope, everyone is:
- Welcomed - we thoughtfully craft each part of our programs, from set up and flow to food and music, with our guests in mind
- Respected - we hold space for and honor people's traumas and journeys
- Celebrated - we believe in having fun together, drawing from everyone's unique gifts and providing a place to experience joy
OUR STORY
City Hope was founded in 2005 to connect with San Francisco’s marginalized residents – those struggling with addiction, mental or physical illness, cycles of incarceration, poverty and isolation. Our early years were spent listening and seeking to understand our neighbors’ needs as we offered mentorship to men in recovery, women in the County Jail, and at-risk children at a local elementary school.
Over time it became clear that City Hope's distinct contribution is providing a safe gathering space that builds healthy community and increases quality of life. In San Francisco there are an estimated 7,500 people without housing. Only about 3,100 of that population find any kind of shelter by the time night falls. We simply do not have enough housing or shelter for all of the people living on our streets, and we may not for some time. The problem is complex and it’s easy to give up or become overwhelmed with such a challenge.
At City Hope, we’re determined to make an impact in people’s lives, even while they wait on housing. This led to the development of the City Hope Community Center in 2015 and the City Hope House, a transitional sober living home, in 2016. Our focus is to be a living room in the Tenderloin for those without enough living space, creatively offering as many elements of home as possible for our neighbors on the margins.
For 25 men and women it is an actual home. The City Hope House is a two-year transitional sober living home for people who have graduated from a recovery program but are not yet ready for independent living. This bridge program prevents people from falling into homelessness, giving them the opportunity to work on their personal finances, improve their employment options, and look for permanent housing.
For hundreds of others, it is the City Hope Community Center - a living room for those without enough living space. It is the dignity of bathrooms and hot showers, basic human necessities like a toothbrush or socks. It is a healthy home-cooked meal, prepared and served to you by those who know and care about you. It’s a place where we have fun, a place to laugh even when you’re struggling. We play games (Trivia, Bingo), watch movies, and even sing to each other (Join us for karaoke!). City Hope is a trusted gathering place, a center for the community.
We invite you to engage in our mission, to listen well to one another, to be creative and take risks as we tackle these challenges together.
Over time it became clear that City Hope's distinct contribution is providing a safe gathering space that builds healthy community and increases quality of life. In San Francisco there are an estimated 7,500 people without housing. Only about 3,100 of that population find any kind of shelter by the time night falls. We simply do not have enough housing or shelter for all of the people living on our streets, and we may not for some time. The problem is complex and it’s easy to give up or become overwhelmed with such a challenge.
At City Hope, we’re determined to make an impact in people’s lives, even while they wait on housing. This led to the development of the City Hope Community Center in 2015 and the City Hope House, a transitional sober living home, in 2016. Our focus is to be a living room in the Tenderloin for those without enough living space, creatively offering as many elements of home as possible for our neighbors on the margins.
For 25 men and women it is an actual home. The City Hope House is a two-year transitional sober living home for people who have graduated from a recovery program but are not yet ready for independent living. This bridge program prevents people from falling into homelessness, giving them the opportunity to work on their personal finances, improve their employment options, and look for permanent housing.
For hundreds of others, it is the City Hope Community Center - a living room for those without enough living space. It is the dignity of bathrooms and hot showers, basic human necessities like a toothbrush or socks. It is a healthy home-cooked meal, prepared and served to you by those who know and care about you. It’s a place where we have fun, a place to laugh even when you’re struggling. We play games (Trivia, Bingo), watch movies, and even sing to each other (Join us for karaoke!). City Hope is a trusted gathering place, a center for the community.
We invite you to engage in our mission, to listen well to one another, to be creative and take risks as we tackle these challenges together.