The Mission

The rainy season here in Northern California is ongoing, and we can’t wait for the skies to clear and the hammers to swing. Very soon, we’ll begin construction on several homes across multiple counties, and for that we’ll need volunteers like you! Volunteers are the heart of our organization, without them Hope City would be unable to assist as many families as we do. To those who have served with us in the past, we ask that you consider volunteering with us again soon. With that in mind, let’s talk a bit about who we are, who we serve and why we serve them. It’s possible that you have a good idea of who HCRN and Hope City are, but just in case you’ve forgotten, allow us to reintroduce ourselves.

In 2015, the Valley Fire raged through Lake County. HCRN was on the ground within two days to begin assisting in the recovery process. We’ve become a fixture here in Northern California, serving many communities and filling many needs. As Kevin Cox, our CEO, likes to tell people, “We came for one fire and have worked on 15.” It’s been a trying time for inhabitants of Northern California, every fire season has seen a record breaking fire. As a result, HCRN and our building project, Hope City, have been asked to build in five counties.

It’s not just about building homes, though. Most of the work we do is focused on the overall well being of those fire survivors we serve. We employ a holistic approach, focusing on the emotional, physical, financial and spiritual needs of each family. We encourage our volunteers to talk with home owners while out on the job site. The work is important, but the people are more important. Every week we have a volunteer team in camp, we host a family night where dinner is served and all of our families are invited to come share their stories. It gives the volunteers a chance to talk about the work and people they’ve experienced through the week as well.

And who exactly do we assist? The short answer is everyone we can in the wake of a disaster. As the fires have blazed over the last three years, we’ve sent teams to evacuation centers and distribution centers. We’ve organized local churches to best serve their communities and provide whatever assistance they might need in navigating recovery. In terms of long term recovery and rebuilding, our focus is on those who lost their homes and were either uninsured or under insured. Their homes are built through your volunteer labor and through the financial support of our donors.

This is such a small picture of what we do, but hopefully it gives you all a better idea of what Hope City aims to do in Northern California. So much of our efforts are only possible because of your volunteering and donations. We were given a mission and we’re here to see it to the end. Hopefully, you’ll join us on that mission.