The HOPE Collaborative (Helping Our People Emerge . . . from crisis to healing) was established in 2008 as a group of six agencies joining together to improve the systems response to survivors of violence and abuse with disabilities and Deaf survivors of violence. The founding members of The HOPE Collaborative include the Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance, Inc., The Arc of Haywood County, Haywood County Department of Social Services, Haywood Vocational Opportunities, Smokey Mountain Center, and REACH (Resource, Education, Assistance, Counseling & Housing) of Haywood County. The collaborative’s name reflects the community’s shared sense of responsibility for all the people in their community.
Our Unique Contributions
The HOPE Collaborative serves the Appalachian county in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Since the collaboration began, the work has become part of a focused system of change effort. Technical assistance is provided at the state level, and trainings include topics such as use of adaptive equipment. The HOPE Collaborative continues to administer the Safety and Accessible Audit Tool to help organizations determine their level of accessibility and create improvements.