Co-op update

Quietly, a little over a decade ago, something happened that broke that pattern just a bit. LIA created a housing program that invited our neighbors experiencing homelessness to live onsite. Hope House launched, originally with the idea that it would work much like all the other programs of LIA. But instead, it changed us. Hope House created solutions in unexpected ways as people grew into a community. Many of those who have lived at Hope House or Harbor Hall remain connected today. A casual scrolling across social media reveals the connections as one person asks for prayer, confesses a struggle or shares a win and others ping in with encouragement and offers of support. Their connectedness showed us that we can move in many instances from response to community. It turns out, community is one of the most powerful tools we have in combatting poverty and all its associated problems.  

This year, we will develop our next step as a ministry. The Community Co-op is not just a place for people to come and receive food. It’s a community of people that come from all variety of backgrounds—workforce families, senior citizens, those raising children—to mutually support each other. Each person’s gifts and abilities are essential as part of a communal approach to combatting poverty. Of course, food and other resources are a part of all this. But the single, enormous difference is instead of responding to need or waiting for a crisis, the Co-op is an opportunity to interact as a community and find solutions together, or even prevent certain challenges before they occur.  

We are excited that construction is well underway and funding is over 85%. Our anticipation is building for local families and individuals to join in this new program that has so much promise to unite us.