2025-09-13T17:35:53-07:00 2024-12-31 990 2024-01-01 271370074 HOPE Inc Helping Other People be Empowered HOPE 6786956688 PO Box 3166 Duluth GA 30096 Kenita Smith President & Founder 6786956688 2025-09-13 1 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Kenita Smith PO Box 3166 Duluth GA 30096 630577 0 X https://hopbe.org/ X 2009 GA HOPE, Inc. (a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization) offers services that support single parents. HOPE, Inc's mission is to serve low-income single parents working to obtain a college degree by providing assistance in subsidized housing, child care assistance, social services, and life skills. 7 7 4 50 0 0 489522 607157 0 0 0 1927 48785 15016 538307 624100 0 3000 0 0 147438 191877 0 0 59555 332373 302838 479811 497715 58496 126385 285707 409224 136401 133533 149306 275691 HOPE, Inc. (a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization) offers services that support single parents. HOPE, Inc's mission is to serve low-income single parents working to obtain a college degree by providing assistance in subsidized housing, child care assistance, social services, and life skills. 0 0 282409 3000 0 Year to date, we have assisted 135 single parents and 272 children by the end of 2024. Current Participants: We assisted 30 single parents and 48 children in 2024, with an average family size of 2 children. 63% of our participants were the first generation to attend college. 19% were obtaining an associate degree and 81% bachelor's degrees. Even with 65% of our new participants being in the program less than 6 months, we saw an increase in income by $2,313 (8%), savings by $186 (19%), credit scores by 19 points (3%). 13% owned their own homes. Graduates: 74% response rate. 97% of our graduates are currently working in their chosen career field and living above living wage! Nearly Half (46%) of our graduates are the first member of their family to attend and graduate from college, breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. A staggering 82% of our graduates have experienced a significant increase in their yearly incomes, roughly $38,923 more! 17% of them now earning between $40k-$50k and 66% earning above $50k. Even more exciting is that 37% of our graduates had no savings when starting our program, but now 89% of our graduates have established savings accounts since completing our program, with an average balance total of $2,615, a 219% increase. Finally, we are proud to report that our graduates have made incredible strides in improving their credit scores. From an average score of 596 when they started our program, their scores now average 638 or greater, a 42-point average credit score change. 0 0 0 282409 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 21 0 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 X X Kenita Smith 6786956688 PO Box 3166 Duluth GA 30096 Kenita Smith President/CEO 40 0 X X 83404 0 0 Steve Dowdley Board Chair 0.5 0 X X 0 0 0 Lisa White Board Secretary 0.50 0 X X 0 0 0 Wassia Kamon Treasurer 0.50 0 X X 0 0 0 Ann Leal Member at large 0.50 0 X 0 0 0 Alyse Burlile Member at large 0.50 0 X 0 0 0 Melissa Murphy Member at large 0.50 0 X 0 0 0 83404 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 22289 0 74500 510368 2082 607157 0 1927 0 0 1927 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21405 22289 6477 14928 0 14928 Credit card rewards 900099 88 0 0 88 0 0 0 0 88 624100 0 0 16943 X 2000 2000 1000 1000 0 0 0 0 82468 0 82468 0 0 0 0 0 89740 55374 0 34366 0 0 0 0 6582 1890 3259 1433 13087 4140 6400 2547 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13310 0 13310 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18604 14116 4488 0 46714 19928 16940 9846 9132 2994 5664 474 19474 5045 8145 6284 0 0 0 0 800 0 800 0 254 254 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4040 0 4040 0 0 0 0 0 1583 0 1583 0 3343 545 2798 0 Program assistance 157238 157238 0 0 Counseling 17560 17560 0 0 Professional development 6479 0 1907 4572 Bank and payment processing fees 3031 17 2981 33 1276 308 968 0 497715 282409 155751 59555 273085 190335 10000 7872 197904 3068 9500 1583 4750 7917 285707 409224 6022 10917 130379 122616 136401 133533 X 149306 213153 0 62538 149306 275691 285707 409224 126385 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 263703 478403 450078 538307 607157 2337648 263703 478403 450078 538307 607157 2337648 140881 2196767 1927 1927 88 88 2339663 159964 0.93892 0.9246 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 2024 - credit card rewards $88 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9500 0 1583 7917 7917 738880 0 114780 0 0 114780 624100 0 0 0 624100 612495 114780 0 0 0 114780 497715 0 0 0 497715 5k Race 43694 22289 21405 0 0 0 171 6306 0 0 0 43694 22289 21405 0 0 0 171 6306 0 6477 14928 Form 990, Part I, Line 1 Significant services offered by H.O.P.E. include the following: Rental Assistance - Housing insecurity is one of the greatest threats to a single parent's ability to finish college. H.O.P.E. provides up to $400 per month in rental assistance to stabilize families during their academic journey. This safety net keeps families in their homes, alleviates financial stress, and gives parents the peace of mind to focus on graduating. | Childcare Assistance - We provide up to $400 per month in childcare subsidies so parents can attend classes, study, and work without sacrificing their children's safety or care. This support ensures children are in nurturing environments while their parents pursue education that will open doors to better-paying careers and long-term self-sufficiency. | Budget Coaching - Each parent is matched with a professional budget coach who teaches financial literacy, budgeting, debt reduction, and savings-building strategies. This one-on-one coaching helps families build credit, develop financial confidence, and establish the skills to maintain stability long after graduation. | Counseling - Balancing parenting and higher education is emotionally demanding. H.O.P.E. offers access to professional counseling to help parents process trauma, manage stress, and build resilience. Mental health support strengthens their ability to persist in school while modeling healthy coping strategies for their children. | Social Services Navigation - Our team connects parents to vital community resources including healthcare, food assistance, transportation, and academic supports. By removing these barriers, we enable parents to concentrate on their studies while ensuring their families' essential needs are met. | Grocery and Gas Gift Cards - We provide quarterly $250 grocery cards and $100 gas cards to reduce everyday financial strain. These flexible supports cover basic costs like food and transportation that, if unmet, can derail a parent's progress in school. | Mentoring and Life Skills Coaching - Beyond material support, we surround parents with mentorship and life skills coaching. Participants gain confidence, leadership skills, and guidance in balancing school and parenting-becoming strong role models for their children and peers. | Lasting Impact - In 2024, H.O.P.E. Inc. served 30 single parents and 48 children through our Mildred Dowdley Gift of HOPE (MDGH) program. Our results are transformative: * 82% graduation rate, with five new graduates in 2024 alone * 100% of participants on track to graduate within six years * 20% of graduates became homeowners * Average graduate income rose 179% (from $25,062 to $69,947) * Average savings balances increased 932%, reaching $5,601 * Average credit scores improved from 607 to 614 * 53% of graduates are first-generation college students When a single parent earns a college degree, it changes the trajectory of an entire family-creating ripples of hope, stability, and opportunity for generations to come. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The 990 return is presented to the Executive Director for review and presented to the Board for approval. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c The Board developed the Board Policies and Procedures Manual. The manual describes the enforcement and monitoring of the conflict of interest policy. The organization has a written whisleblower policy which is described in the Board Policies and Procedures Manual. The organization has a written document retention and destruction policy which is described in the Board Policies and Procedures Manual. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 The Board determines salary by reviewing the Nonprofit Compensation report from GuideStar and evaluating performance against revenue, accompanied with credentials and skill. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 18 A request for a copy of the 990 in writing to the address on record or via email to INFO@HOPBE.ORG. The request will be provided in a reasonable amount of time. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 No documents available to the public. Form 990, Part VIII, Line 1f In addition to the revenue reported on Form 990, Part VIII, HOPE received in-kind support for donated internet-based advertising services. Specifically for 2024, HOPE received up to $10,000 per month in free AdWords Advertising from Google from a Google Grant which HOPE was awarded. HOPE used the grant to advertise AdWord campaigns that directed users (potential applicants and/or potential donors) to HOPE's website. HOPE also advertised its blog and newsletter in these campaigns. For 2024 the value of these donated advertising services was $114,780. This amount is not reflected on Part VIII per the Form 990 instructions. Form 990, Part IX, Line 12 In addition to the expenses reported on Form 990, Part IX, HOPE received in-kind support for donated internet-based advertising services (see note regarding Google AdWords donation - Form 990, Part VIII, Line 1f). The value of these donated advertising services used in 2024 was $114,780. This amount is not reflected on Part IX per the Form 990 instructions. In addition, the exclusion of the contributed services resulted in a lower Program Expense Percentage over total expenses. If the contributed services were included, the Program Percentage would be 64.8%. A request for an extension of time to file was properly submitted to the IRS, therefore this return is not late.