PWP Community Partner Spotlight: Heart of Hope Ministries

Volunteering has always been a core part of the People with Purpose program. Participants gain social engagement while getting involved with the Quad Cities community and volunteering at a variety of area charities and organizations.

The program fills the gap left after high school for young adults with disabilities, providing participants will opportunities five days a week to be social, have fun, learn new skills, and make a positive impact on their community.

In April, PWP volunteered 26 hours in the Quad Cities community and are slated to contribute over 200 hours of volunteer time this year. Our community partners are a huge part of our program and give us plenty of amazing opportunities to get involved.

Heart of Hope Ministries is one of our newest community partners. PWP started volunteering with them March 1 of this year doing light household chores like emptying garbage receptacles, vacuuming, mopping, folding donated clothing, picking up debris on the grounds of the facility, and packing food boxes.

Cellia Rodriguez, Office Manager at Heart of Hope Ministries, said that having People with Purpose volunteer their time is beneficial for the organization in more than just a “get things done” kind of way. “They are beautiful souls that enrich us with the joy they exhibit when they see themselves with a sense of purpose. Their smiles and hearts are exhilarating,” said Cellia.

Heart of Hope Ministries’ vision is to revitalize Rock Island neighborhoods, provide opportunities that empower individuals to become self-sufficient, and equip future generations for success. They currently offer a food pantry, deliveries to the elderly and disabled, a clothing ministry, and adult and youth support services.

“Heart of Hope Ministries was founded in 2009 in obedience to a vision that God placed on my heart to serve those in need within our community. We started with five people meeting in my home and praying for God's direction. We filed for our 501(c)3 non-profit status and received this in 2010,” said Founder and President Lynda Sargeant.

In 2022 the organization opened a Giving Hope House and currently has one resident living in the house who is a student at Augustana College. They have partnered with Augustana's Prison Education Program to work together to provide housing for gentlemen who are returning from incarceration and are pursuing their college educations. They are working on plans to open a business enterprise this year that will give work opportunities to those in need of skill training and provide a stream of revenue for Heart of Hope Ministries that allows them to further their mission.

If you’d like to get involved like the PWP crew, the organization is currently looking for licensed drivers to deliver food on Fridays to the elderly and the disabled in the Quad Cities area. They are always in need of volunteers every Thursday as well for their food and clothing pantry.

To learn more about Heart of Hope Ministries visit https://www.heartofhopeqc.org/.

Stay tuned to our social media pages for more pictures of PWP’s adventures in volunteering. We will also be featuring a community partner each month here on the blog.