Building a Better Memphis
Through Hope and Work

OUR MISSION

HopeWorks provides hope in Jesus Christ and opportunities for sustainable work through education and lifelong services.

OUR VISION

Empowering Memphians with work and hope in Jesus Christ to eliminate poverty.

OUR CORE VALUES

  • FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST: reliant on God, servant hearted
  • INTEGRITY: honest, transparent, fiscally responsible
  • COMPASSION: humble, kind
  • INNOVATION: creative, strategic
  • URGENCY: responsive, advocating
  • COMMUNITY: collaborative, hospitable

OUR STORY

Memphis Area Cooperative began in 1988 as a collaborative effort among local churches with a mission to address the homeless issue in Shelby County. The pillar of the initiative was a Life Skills Lab designed to support the under-resourced population. The organization was renamed HopeWorks and received its 501(c)(3) status in 1998. The bedrock soft skills programming was fortified and titled Personal and Career Development (PCD).

2016 was a pivotal year in the HopeWorks story. An invitation was extended to bring the PCD program behind bars at the Shelby County Division of Corrections to serve the incarcerated and prepare them for life beyond release. Simultaneously, the Tennessee Board of Labor and Workforce granted the largest amount of funding in Shelby County to HopeWorks to prepare and administer High School Equivalency testing. That grant grew to include Engish as a Second Language classes for all nationalities.

The expansion of services brought significant growth to HopeWorks. Over 70 compassionate educators, career coaches and coordinators work in 6 locations across Shelby County.

HOPEWORKS LEADERSHIP TEAM

Ron Wade
Executive Director

Kathryn Jackson
Director of Human Resources

Louise Koonce
Director of Development & Marketing

Gilda Shelby
Director of Finance

Stoney Ramsey
Director of Adult Education

Sharon Billups
Director of Case Management

Tracy Caskey
Director of Workforce Development

Laura Harrison
Director of Life Services

HOPEWORKS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Brett Curtis, Board Chair

Robert Beckett
Beverly Lattimore
Patrick Parson

Brenda Garner
Michael Maxwell
Edward Wildrick

building a better Memphis
for over 35 years