Christian Hope Association - Vision and Goals

Christian Hope Association is a Christian ministry that helps the poor and needy of north Whatcom County with short-term emergency basic assistance including: food, clothing, furniture, rent, utilities, transportation. We desire to minister to the whole person (body and spirit) with the love and grace of God, through the life and power of Jesus Christ.

Our Vision

The vision of the Christian Hope Association is for our community to be characterized by love and cooperation, where Christians help individuals, families, neighbors and our community work together in an effort so all may live in the Will and Grace of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We envision our community growing in character and stature, evidenced by people of different economic, cultural and racial backgrounds, joining together to solve problems of the individual as well as the whole community. We envision our role in being a faithful light in our world, called to represent and introduce Jesus Christ to people, so His Grace may profoundly and eternally bless them.

Our Goals

We desire to transition from a client-intake type program to a more personalized in-home mentoring approach. Our hope is to better assess and thus better meet the root needs (or causes) afflicting the person or family. We foresee a plan to send out trained teams into the homes of families who request material assistance. Our ultimate goal is (through the love and challenge of God) to gently nurture people up and out of the plight they are enduring. Project Hope will be guided by the Seven Keys to Effective Compassion championed by Marvin Olasky.

Our Purpose

The Christian Hope Association exists to help build community. We define community as "human relationships held together by relational ties, living out a common purpose, through common participation." St. Augustine describes community as "a group of people united by the common objects of their love."

We are attempting to work toward this goal through our personal and corporate service, by acting as a catalyst and a model, in a way that will promote genuine community under the care of God. We work to aid individuals and families to serve one another. We work to aid and call our neighbors to use the strength and resources of their community, to bless those who have few resources. We hope to lead and encourage our community to work together to accomplish their dreams, solve their problems, and bless others with their faith and service.

Our Mandate

Together, we are called by Scripture (Mark 12:30-31) to: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength...and Love your neighbor as yourself". By virtue of the Grace of God placed upon our personal and corporate lives, through the Reign of Jesus Christ as Lord, we desire to be faithful witnesses to Him and His Gospel.