Changes made to mission
By John Faucher
The Mission of Hope House in New London received a substantial boost for its long-term sustainability.
The Mission of Hope House Resiliency Center is a 12-bed peer-supported living environment that offers programs and services designed to help its clients break free from poverty, substance abuse and homelessness.
The center hosted its Hope Awards program at Crystal Falls Banquet Facility on Sept. 21.
During the program, guest speaker and local philanthropist Milton Staskal announced the creation of an Endowment Fund for the long term financial support of the Mission of Hope House.
Staskal presented $100,000 as the first installment for the endowment fund.
He and his wife Trudy also announced they will match any pledge or gift to the Endowment Fund through the end of the year.
A double match offer stands through October, and a dollar-for-dollar match will be made for any pledge during November and December.
If this $100,000 would have been invested at the beginning of this year, just nine months ago,” he said. It would have generated $17,000 in earnings available for operating funds at MOHH.
Staskal explained how the endowment fund works.
“Once you understand it seems too good to be true. Your money is invested and four times each year any earnings beyond the initial invested principle is available for the operating funds of MOHH,” he explained.
Contributions are invested in the S&P 500. If market value is below the initial invested principal amount, there is no withdrawal until the market recovers.
“In just the 20 plus years since I officially retired, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 have more than quadrupled,” Staskal noted,
Every calendar quarter, all gain beyond the principle is transferred to operating funds.
“This makes it possible to capture the gains and limit any potential losses and it goes on and on,” said Staskal, referencing the Energizer Bunny commercial.
“It keeps giving and giving and giving, long after all of us are gone,” he said. “That’s the miracle of an endowment fund; it keeps on giving and giving, next year, five-years, 25-years, even 100 years from now.”
Staskal explained how the MOHH Endowment Fund is set up so that contributions will continue to improve and impact people’s lives long term.
“We are here tonight because we believe in the mission, purpose and programs of Mission of Hope. We are part of that broad-based community support,” said Staskal. “Any amount is important and needed for operating expenses, but I’m asking you to make a pledge or gift to the endowment fund.”
Changes at Mission of Hope
Michael Hall, Mission of Hope executive director, opened the evening by detailing some of the new changes, partnerships formed and services offered through MOHH.
Hall explained the Resiliency Initiative, which is a partnership among Mission of Hope, Impact Wisconsin and CORE Treatment Services.
The partnership’s primary objective is to serve anyone experiencing crisis or substance abuse disorder in Waupaca County and rural central Wisconsin through experience, advocacy and evidence-based practices at no cost to the client.
He said through serving the communities of rural central Wisconsin, many other cooperative relationships with nonprofit organizations, churches, businesses and government agencies have been fostered.
“Our goal is to ensure that each person in rural central Wisconsin has access to crisis care and addiction recovery services in order to live a meaningful life and become healthy, self-sustaining members of the community,” said Hall.
Mission of Hope and Impact Wisconsin currently partners with the Waupaca County Drug Treatment Court program to provide an aftercare social support group along with sober living for clients in the early phases of treatment court.
Impact Wisconsin operates a six-bed women’s recovery residence in Waupaca and oversees the 12-bed recovery residence in New London in partnership with Mission of Hope.
Hall said in May 2023 physical changes were made at the recovery residence to provide a more comfortable and judgment free environment, while a new partnership with CORE Treatment Services developed.
CORE provides clinical oversight for peer support, sober living space and ADOA crisis management.
Hall said the Resiliency Initiative program is designed to provide wrap-around care for community members struggling with a number of concerns.
In addition to outpatient and support services, the initiative provides life-skills training, financial planning assistance and other culturally specific services.
The program is open to anyone struggling with substance abuse, mental health concerns or poverty.
For more information, contact 920-412-2772 or visit [email protected].
Watch for the Hope Award winners in a future issue of the New London Press Star.