We Care and Friends
Downtown Hope
In the spring of 2009 a small meeting was held at a local business on Main Street in Annapolis. As Larry Griffin shared his vision for all people joining hands to face the many challenges of today’s society, a partnership was formed with a budding new community with a similar vision. This community was Downtown Hope.
“Downtown Hope is a non-denominational community of faith on mission to bring hope to those desperate to hear some good news.” “Through partnering with We Care and Friends, Downtown Hope has been able to provide much needed support and is truly making an impact in the lives of those in and around the Clay Street community.” says Tom Hooe, one of the leaders of Downtown Hope. Assisting We Care and Friends with fundraising projects, the School on the Water summer program, the Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas toy drive and feeding the homeless has helped to strengthen this partnership.
In fall of 2009, Downtown Hope was instrumental in organizing an annual Back to School clothing and backpack festival at the Stanton Center that continues to this day. Through this partnership, Downtown Hope has become a fixture in the community. Numerous relationships have been established, and the community is growing. Young adults are returning to school to complete their education, homeless men & women are being employed and finding shelter. “Every first Sunday, we get together for our own church,” says Tom Hooe. “This is a church without walls where all are welcome. It’s about accepting people exactly where they are, building relationships and together finding hope and a future.”
The partnership of We Care and Friends and Downtown Hope is bringing good news to the city of Annapolis.
