Who We Are
We are a training, research, and advocacy organization which found its genesis on the campuses of Hope Unlimited for Children, a residential facility in Brazil. At Hope Institute, we transform the lives of high-risk orphans and vulnerable children by using evidence-driven methodologies to improve the quality of care at orphanages around the world. We advocate for the residential model as the setting that provides the best opportunity for high-risk orphans and vulnerable children to become well-adjusted, self-sufficient, and productive members of their larger communities.
At Hope Institute, we focus on high-risk OVC. Making their lives better is our heartbeat. We don’t build orphanages; we share tools with those already doing the hard work of orphan care. We teach orphan care practitioners the very best methods to make their work successful, equipping the children in their care to thrive!
Leadership
David Z. Nowell
Executive Director
Meredith Norton
Program Director
Sean Rutter
Board Chair
Rickie Long
Vice-Chair, Management
Lathan Fritz
Vice Chair, Programs
Our History
In 1991, Hope Unlimited for Children began rescuing children from the streets of Campinas, Brazil. They did orphan care a little differently: from the very beginning, their focus was on the next generation. They wanted the children of the children they raised to grow up in a stable, healthy family. And today, they are enjoying the fruits of this labor! Hope Unlimited for Children certainly lives up to its name – 90% of their graduates are meaningfully employed and in stable living conditions. The children of their graduates are growing up in stable, healthy families.
We know we can change the outcome for high-risk orphans and vulnerable children because we have seen it!
Founders of Hope Unlimited for Children (L-R) Philip Smith, David Swoap, Jack Smith
“Let’s hang a sign over the front gate that says ‘Please copy.’”
– Jack Smith, co-founder of Hope Unlimited for Children
Hope Institute grew out of this success. Our expertise in vocational training and independence transition programs for OVC has its genesis in the visionary work of Philip Smith and his team at Hope Unlimited. It is our mission to share their hard-won lessons with programs around the world. Often we see programs that are focused on immediate necessities, but we must never lose sight of the big picture: helping children prepare to live successful, independent lives.
That is our heritage and our future.
