Hope's History
Nancy's Story
Nancy Stuart came to Alaska, the Last Frontier, with a pioneering spirit. She headed north from Florida with her husband, Don, and their four children in 1967. Nancy moved to Circle in October, just weeks before the Tanana and the Chena Rivers flooded. A newcomer and barely settled in her new home, Nancy did not let that keep her from helping in the community during the disaster. Day care centers were set up around town to take care of children whose parents were busy fighting the flood. But Nancy recognized that some of the children needed extra care.
Nancy worked with children with developmental disabilities in Florida, but only as a volunteer without any real training. That was enough. Her interest was piqued and she acted. Nancy went to the Department of Health and offered her services. Unwittingly, she tapped a serious need in the community...
Hope is Born
Nancy’s single act of selflessness, the fostering of one child who experienced a developmental disability, led to the birth of Hope Community Resources.
A year after the floods, Nancy’s family moved to Anchorage. Here, they began caring for fourteen foster children, all of whom experienced a disability. In order to continue caring for so many children, the state informed Nancy that she would have to apply for an institutional license.
On October 28, 1968, Nancy formally named her new organization Hope Cottage. Since then, the agency has undergone immense growth and numerous changes, including two name changes. The first change was to Hope Cottages in 1977 and then to its current name, Hope Community Resources, Inc. in 1998.
Over the Years
In the early to mid 70’s Hope expanded to several homes providing community-based residential services for adults as an alternative to institutional settings. This expansion also assisted in over eighty Alaskans ability to return home from institutional locations out of state.
The 80’s brought about greater independence and choice for people receiving services. Categorized services became a thing of the past and consumer driven services became the norm. Living environments were expanded to include independent living, home ownership and rural supports and services. Hope’s services also expanded beyond residential concerns to vocational needs, offering career-training opportunities so individuals could become integrated into their communities.
By the mid 90’s Hope had tripled in size and become a statewide agency.
In the new millennium Hope continues to grow as the State of