Brooke Prahl hopes to bring a successful program from New London to Waupaca.
The 2012 New London High School graduate was a volunteer during her junior year with a national outreach project known as Convoy of Hope.
After that experience, she wanted to organize a similar program in New London. Mission of Hope was formed in 2012.
“I did it through the School of Enterprise and Marketing at New London High School,” Prahl said. “I met with churches and businesses and charitable groups.”
Prahl described Mission of Hope as “a catalyst to unite a community to meet the needs of others.”
She said the purpose of the group is to identify needs and to encourage a community response to those needs.
Mission of Hope held its first event in August 2012 at Bernegger River Walk in downtown New London.
There were tents where families in need could obtain help connecting with community services, get free haircuts, free groceries, free health services and family portraits. There were children’s activities and a prayer tent. Volunteers and donors were recruited. More than 600 people were served.
After that initial event, Mission of Hope began efforts to create a homeless shelter in New London.
They purchased a building in the summer of 2014 and are currently remodeling the interior.
“Mission of Hope is an idea, not just an organization,” said Dana Strohm with Waupaca County Caucus 4 Progress.
Strohm said the county caucus was founded in May 2014.
“Our goal is to improve the quality of life for the children in our community,” Strohm said. “We saw what Mission of Hope was doing in New London and asked if we could do the same.”
The Waupaca County Caucus 4 Progress is working with Mission of Hope to organize a community event for Waupaca.
The event is slated to start at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at Waupaca Learning Center, 1515 Shoemaker Road.
Those who are unemployed or struggling to make ends meet are invited to attend the event.
There will be free groceries, free health screenings, free beauty makeovers, free family portraits, free shoes and socks, help accessing community and educational resources, activities for children and prayer.
“The people who come to this event are not clients, they are guests of honor,” Strohm said.
Mission for Hope is still recruiting volunteers and sponsors for the event.
To become a volunteer, go to www.mission-of-hope.com, click on the Volunteer tab and complete the online form.
Donations to the tax-exempt group may also be made through the Mission of Hope website.
For more information, call 920-359-0705 or 800-725-5276.
The Waupaca Mission of Hope event is partially funded by a grant from the Fox Valley Community Foundation in collaboration with the Waupaca County Health and Human Services Department.