about us

about open door community

Our Mission

Open Door Community breaks generational poverty through enhanced food security and housing affordability

Our Vision

A community where disadvantaged/low wealth households have become empowered with new skills and tools

Our Values

Our core values are the fundamental principles which guide and inform everyday operations, decisions, and interactions.

  • Compassion
  • Respect
  • Empowerment through education
  • Triple bottom line – human (staff), fiscal (stewardship), and natural (place) capital
  • Innovation
  • Reflective – a generative, evaluative, learning community

Our History

Helping Overcome Poverty’s Existence, Inc. (HOPE) was incorporated in 1993 with a primary mission of fulfilling the challenge of its name – to reduce the conditions contributing to poverty in southwest Virginia. Mountain Shelter, Inc. (MSI) was incorporated in 1992 with a primary mission of enabling lower income and disadvantaged families to achieve solutions for sustaining affordable housing. In July 2007, HOPE and MSI merged into one entity and maintained the name HOPE, Inc. A vision to bring about new and creative delivery of services was adopted resulting in a bigger impact on clients and local communities.

1999

First Multi-Family Project Approved

Southridge with Wytheville Redevelopment Housing Authority using Low Income Housing Tax Credits for 20 units

2001

Southridge Opens

12, 1-BR units in renovated motel and 8, 2-BR homes

2002

NIMBY

Resistance in development of Pepper Commons in downtown Rural Retreat

2002-03

Hope Ministry Center

Consolidated services for 7 human service agencies under one roof

2003-05

Deerfield

32-units, high density project NIMBYied as LIHTC; restructured as single family subdivision

2006

First Group Home

Construction of a 4-BR group home, leased to MRCS

2007

Merger

Merger of Mountain Shelter into HOPE; Ex. Dir. participation in Harvard KSG Achieving Excellence program

2009

Hillcrest

Purchase of REO Hillcrest Apartments, Hillsville

2010

Long Meadows

First swing at acquisition of Long Meadows subdivision with CDBG, then successfully with Fahe and Housing Assistance Council SHOP funding

2012

New Capacity

First AmeriCorps VISTA; fiscal agent for Community Food Kitchen and Little Maroon Packs, Wythe-Bland Foundation support for community bookkeeping

2013

Hillcrest Renovated

Closing on Hillcrest permanent financing (HOME and VH REACH) after renovation of 14 units

2016

Capital Injection

First funding approved for permanent food kitchen; 2, 4-BR group homes for IDD population

2018

Open Door Café

Opens in November after $700,000 grant-funded renovation

2018

VHDA Grant

Community Improvement Grant through Va Housing to preserve affordability of our Long Meadows subdivision

2020

Major Gift Received

New roofs and HVAC, Covid pandemic response tripling of service budget

2022

Housing Portfolio

Acquisition of town homes in Galax and Marion; surpassed $5 million total assets. Closed with Landmark on FHLB A AHP $500k deferred investment on $9m Woodlawn School LIHTC renovation of 54-units in Carroll County

we can always use your help

Open Door Community is supercharged by a community of supporters – volunteers and donors. Join our network in the fight against hunger and homelessness.