What it Means to Be a Family Run Organization

Hope WINS grew out of our own family’s story, navigating adoption, trauma, healing, and growth together. That lived experience is what fuels everything we do. We don’t just talk about resilience and connection, we’ve had to live it, and we carry those lessons into every program we create.

According to FREDLA (Family Run Executive Director Leadership Association), a true family run organization is one where families are at the center: the mission focuses on supporting children and youth with emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges; families with lived experience make up at least half of the board; the director and most of the staff also have lived experience; and the family voice is honored at every level of decision making. That description fits Hope WINS. Many of our staff and volunteers are parents, caregivers, or young adults who have walked similar paths. Their voices and stories give our work depth, honesty, and heart. Together, we’re building more than programs, we’re building a village, a place where families can share their experiences, support one another, and face today’s challenges side by side. At the end of the day, Hope WINS is about families helping families. It’s about creating community out of shared struggle and shared hope.