St. HOPE Inc.

St. HOPE, founded by NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, is a national nonprofit community development company with the mission of revitalizing inner city communities through public education, civic leadership, economic development and the arts.

Education is at the heart of our revitalization model. We believe the key is educating and empowering youth to change the landscape of their communities. St. HOPE began in 1989 as an after school program and developed into a rapidly growing community development company that currently operates a pre K-12 grade school system in Oak Park, Sacramento. In 2008, St. HOPE will expand its education model opening the New York Leadership Academy serving students in Harlem. Our schools are guided by the promise to ensure our students leave for college with the desire to serve their community and the ability to succeed academically. The Neighborhood Corp program (Hood Corp) complements our education focus by providing students the opportunity to gain valuable leadership skills while serving the community. The program educates, trains and empowers individuals of all ages to become civic leaders through community service. Hood Corps continues to grow its membership each year and has gained national recognition as a model service program.

We understand that sustainable revitalization efforts must take place from within. Our development projects draw on the culture and assets of the communities in which we work. In May 2003, St. HOPE opened the 40 Acres Art and Cultural Center, a mixed-use retail complex located in the heart of the Oak Park commercial district. Today, 40 Acres serve as a catalyst for economic and cultural renewal.

Combining the four tenants of our revitalization model has greatly benefited the Oak Park neighborhood. We are excited by the opportunity to take our model to other deserving communities throughout the United States. As a rapidly growing organization we are dependent upon attracting committed individuals to join our efforts. For more information on St. HOPE visit our website www.sthope.org.