The HOOD

An acronym for our name, The Home of Opportunities and Dreams.

The word HOOD is universally accepted to mean one's neighborhood, the place where you feel safe, where you feel welcome, where you feel at home.

All too often in society today, for one reason or another, our youth or young families do not feel welcome in the very communities they live  in.  Neighborhood "safe places" do not exist in many communities.  The reduction of community safe places reduces the natural informal support sources available to support the positive development of the youth in the communities they live.  The lack of these also give youth the opportunity to gravitate toward the negative influences which are available in much higher numbers.

Too many of the things offered to our youth today are not offered in a user friendly manner, the youth do not relate to, or they are perceived by the youth to be unattainable.

Our vision is to change that perception and create an environment in which our youth feel they are welcome at all times and that anything is possible and attainable.

We want to offer our youth, young adults, and families that we service a program that is culturally acceptable and inclusive.

We want them to take ownership of the outcomes that are achieved.

It is our vision to empower the end user by providing them with opportunities for positive development and growth, by involving them in various community service and volunteer opportunities, by providing opportunities for them to gain everyday useful skills, and by giving them a voice that they know will be heard.

Or vision is to strengthen the community from within, one person, one HOOD at a time.