About Hope Grows
The mission of the nonprofit was founded on a need to heal from grief.
Hope Grows was founded in 2007, and became a charity (501c3) in December of 2012. Lisa Story, Hope Grows’ Founder, struggled with her father’s death in 2005 and subsequently had delayed grief from her mother who died 20 years prior. Lisa retreated to nature and she began to dig her pain into the earth. Several years in the making 11 Healing Gardens were created and Hope Grows was born.
During our 11-year history as a non-profit, Hope Grows has been providing emotional/mental health services and counseling to family caregivers through on-site programming, phone, and in-person counseling or virtual services, support programming, Therapeutic Respite™ activities, and educational programming. The delivery of Wellness Kits, Welcome and Bereavement Packets, and Quarterly Tuck In Phone Calls add to the support provided. In 2023, Hope Grows opened the Iris Respite House Bed & Breakfast which is a significant accomplishment in creating an opportunity for family caregivers to experience an overnight, stress-free, nurturing environment.
Our Mission
To inspire hope through nature while empowering family caregivers to seek wellness of mind, body, and spirit.
Our Vision
Empowering Family Caregivers Through All Seasons
The mental health concerns that arise in family caregivers are of significant importance. Depression, anxiety, and fatigue alone can require mental health counseling and behavioral health changes to mitigate.
Caregiving in the US reports that 36% of those caring for someone 50+ have higher emotional stress levels and as the need becomes more burdensome, the amount of time and performance of medical/nursing tasks increases, and caregiver health declines.
Currently, nearly 40% of caregivers identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Within each BIPOC racial/ethnic group, the rates of caregiving are higher than in white demographics. (Mental Health America). Caregivers are not accessing respite due to work and daily schedules, caregiving responsibilities, and lack of funding for self-care and replacement care. Respite care is the least accessible and least affordable need faced by family caregivers.
We empower the family caregiver to take intentional steps to regain a sense of control, confidence, and well-being. With caregiving, sometimes it is “putting self first” – putting the oxygen mask on and taking “Just 10 Minutes” for a short break can improve coping skills, which results in an improved experience for the caregiver and care receiver. Win, win!
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