Chamber Insider Blog

Business Women of Loudoun 2015 Beneficiary Spotlight: Mobile Hope

Each year several of our committees here at the Chamber adopt local non-profits to focus their efforts. This year, the Business Women of Loudoun committee has raised money and awareness for Mobile Hope — a non-profit based here in Loudoun that helps children in need. We’re grateful Donna Fortier, Mobile Hope‘s founder, decided to share with us a little bit of insight on what the organization does for our community. Thanks Donna!  – AL


Mobile Hope: Saving our Future, One child at a time.

Mobile Hope, a 501c3 organization, was created to help children and young adults, living in our community, who struggle every day.

Our mission…to provide essential needs, emotional support and referrals for at risk, precariously housed and homeless youth 24 years of age and younger living in Loudoun County. 

Living in a very affluent area, it’s hard to imagine that not everyone is living the American dream. Struggling to find housing, pay bills, get to work or even buy a new pair of socks, Mobile Hope helps those in our community that are forgotten or are unacknowledged.

Working under the McKinney Vento Act, (which identifies those is our school system who lack a “fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence”), Mobile Hope strives to provide a soft place to land for those who need help. Last school year, there were over 1,100 students who qualified to receive benefits under the McKinney Vento act and over 12,000 students qualified for free and reduced lunch.

While it is a very hard message to wrap your head around or even acknowledge, those struggling in our community do exist and they do so silently and humbly.  Mobile Hope works in partnership with the School system, the faith community, businesses, community stakeholders and so many others to offer services and support without judgement, so they too can enjoy all the benefits Loudoun County has to offer.

It is hard to imagine that some of our neighbors, especially our children and young adults suffer in silence while they try to go to school, fit in and work to be good stewards in our community. While Mobile Hope offers significant support to so many, it takes a village, to maintain a strong and thriving safety net mosaic.

We assume that behind every house is a happy, healthy and successful family, but that is not always the case. Loudoun County is a place that we are all proud to live in, and a place that truly opens its arms and hearts when it comes to compassion and commitment to helping, but we, like so many other counties across the country have those who need assistance.

While we work every day to meet the growing needs of those we serve, we are also working to fill a void in county services…those 18 to 24 year olds that age out of the youth shelter or foster care, and have no real life plan in place and no support. Mobile Hope is hoping to build a “life skills facility” to help these young adults become successful members of our community.

We are honored to be the Charity of Choice for the BWOL, and the Chamber’s Young Professionals. Please get involved to help make a difference in a very real issue…www.mobilehopeloudoun.org

Working together, with everyone taking ownership in the success of all residents, Loudoun County will remain the county we are all proud to be a part of.

  

Photo credit: photo 1 – Mobile Hope Facebook; photo 2, Chamber – Tony Howard, Loudoun Chamber President & CEO, and Bonnie Inman of Mobile Hope, at the Superhero 5k, the Chamber’s first 5k race benefitting Mobile Hope)