HOPE supports two populations: Children with special needs and college students. Often times, in mainstream society, these two populations may rarely interact which is unfortunate as each has a lot to give to the other. Thankfully, HOPE has developed a solution: the HOPE Service Chapter!

That’s right, in order to cultivate and nurture positive relationships between children with special needs and college students, a link must be established, and a HOPE Service Chapter provides this important link between these two unique populations.

HOPE Service Chapters are local, student organizations at colleges—private and public, state or community, large and small—affiliated with special needs schools of the surrounding area. Each HOPE Service Chapter is organized, staffed, and led by college students at each respective college. Therefore, each HOPE Service Chapter recruits student mentors—called Hopesters—who are specifically paired with a child with special needs at a HOPE partner school in the local area. These Hopesters, coordinated by their college’s HOPE Service Chapter, then work weekly with their children with special needs.

Hopesters aren’t just volunteers, but rather, mentors as they provide direct support to their children by helping them to meet specific goals and objectives which are developed for children with special needs on their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

Is there is a HOPE Service Chapter at your college? In your city? Is there a HOPE Service Chapter affiliated with your special needs school or facility? Don’t know, but want to know? Well, find out.

Want to establish a HOPE Service Chapter at your college? Interested in getting a HOPE Service Chapter to partner with your special needs school? Well, get to it! Enroll Today.

Learn 5 reasons your college should have a HOPE Service Chapter.