It began in 1986 with a dream...
Bruce and Jan Willson of Mechanic Falls, Maine saw the need to provide care to mothers in Maine. For 8 years they ran Maine's only family foster home specifically licensed for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults. They called their dream "Hope House".
The dream grew...
6 other Hope Houses opened around Maine. In 1994 an outreach center drawing 600 clients a year was opened in Lewiston, in buildings loaned by Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
In 1998 St. Mary's Regional Medical Center bought those buildings and donated them to Hope House, so that services to Lewiston could continue.
and grew...
Also in 1998 an apartment building (1/2 mile from the center on College Street) was donated by the St. Laurent brothers. This enabled Lizzy's Lodge, a residential program for single mothers, to operate for 6 years in Lewiston.Area businesses, churches and individuals provide the financial and volunteer support that enables Hope House to offer it's various care services to families.
Thanks to a community of support!
Hope House has become a model. It has received national recognition through groups such as Focus on the Family, Heartbeat International, the National Right to Life Committee, and others. Bruce and Jan have spoken widely about Hope House's effectiveness, offering tools they've developed like "Oil and Wine for the Wounded" abuse recovery course, now in it's third printing.In 2006, as Hope House celebrated 20 years of fruitfulness, the vision to spread hope wider grew. Hope for the Nations, the mission branch of Hope House, sends teams and shares resources to encourage families globally.
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Hope House Highlights
1992 Hope House featured at York County Abuse and Neglect Council
1992-94 Hope House provides training and oversight to Central Maine Pregnancy Support Center, Augusta
Hope House provides training and oversight to Central Maine Pregnancy Support Center, Augusta1994 Hope House featured on WCSH6 (NBC affiliate in Portland, Maine), directors Bruce & Jan Willson awarded “People of the Week”
directors Bruce & Jan Willson awarded “People of the Week”1994 Hope House awarded for Affirming Life, by Catholic Diocese, Christian Civic League, and Maine Right to Life
Hope House awarded for Affirming Life, by Catholic Diocese, Christian Civic League, and Maine Right to Life1994 Hope House publishes tools, featuring widely used “Oil and Wine for the Wounded” abuse recovery course, written by the Willson’s
Hope House publishes tools, featuring widely used “Oil and Wine for the Wounded” abuse recovery course, written by the Willson’s1995-2006 Hope House director Bruce Willson hosts radio show, “Reckless Faith”, on WMSJ and WBCI
Hope House director Bruce Willson hosts radio show, “Reckless Faith”, on WMSJ and WBCI1995-96 Hope House director Bruce Willson serves on the board of Androscoggin County Head Start
Hope House director Bruce Willson serves on the board of Androscoggin County Head Start1995-2010 Hope House director Bruce Willson serves on the board of the
Hope House director Bruce Willson serves on the board of the Good Shepherd Food Bank
1996 Hope House affiliates with Heartbeat Intl.; Jan Willson‘s song, “Hear
Hope House affiliates with Heartbeat Intl.; Jan Willson‘s song, “Hear Their Heartbeats” used as theme for Columbus, Ohio radio show;
Hope House featured at 25th Annual Heartbeat Conference in Chicago
1996 Hope House featured at the National Right to Life Convention in Virginia
1997 Hope House featured at Woman’s Aglow Intl. Spring Retreat for North Central Mass.
Central Mass.1997 Hope House featured at Congress’97, Haynes Convention Center, Boston
1998 Hope House featured at Care Net’s New England Centers’ Fall Retreat, VT
1996-2000 Hope House featured at Focus on the Family Pregnancy Center Conferences
in Colorado, and in many Focus publications
1996 Dr. Dobson’s book, “Parenting Isn’t for Cowards” published with a new study guide written by the Willson’s, using Hope House teaching tools
study guide written by the Willson’s, using Hope House teaching tools1998 Hope House given College St. buildings for outreach center, by St. Mary’s
Regional Medical Center. Also given shelter building, by St. Laurent Bros.
2000 Hope House featured in May 2000 newsletter of Midwives’ Alliance of North America00
2003 Hope House presented “Doula Inservice Training” to OB nurses of
Franklin Memorial Hospital, and to Lewiston/Auburn College student nurses
2005-2012 Hope House hosts teams from Youth With a Mission
2006 Hope House celebrates 20-year anniversary, with dinner hosted by St. Mary’s
Hope House celebrates 20-year anniversary, with dinner hosted by St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
2006 Hope House invited by Prolife Korea to hold trainings in Seoul, resulting in South
Korea’s first pregnancy center “Hope House Happy Mom & Baby Center
2007 Hope House honored by Concerned Women for America, as “Real Heroes in
Hope House honored by Concerned Women for America, as “Real Heroes in Women’s Crisis Health”
2007 Hope House and the Willson’s awarded “d’Youville Community Award” by
Hope House and the Willson’s awarded “d’Youville Community Award” by Sisters of Charity Health Systems
2007-08 Hope House hosts local Fellowship of Evangelical Leaders luncheons
2008 Hope House tours Northeast China
2009 Rowe of Auburn, Emerson Toyota, and Lee Auto donate Christmas gift of a van to
Hope House
2009 Rebuilding Together L/A chooses Hope House buildings to receive community
assistance from: Bates College, St. Mary’s Regional MedicalCenter, Precision
Builders, Mason Bros. Construction, Greenwood Electric,and the Lewiston
High School La Crosse team
2011 Hope House affiliates with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers, Intl.) asinner-city
learning lab
2011 Hope House and the Willson’s invited to be Ambassadors for TRAC5, an
organization bringing together Muslims, Christians, and Jews to dialogue together
in peace
2012 Hope House received a Community Award from the Lewiston, Maine Rotary Club
2012 Hope House hosts teams from YouthWorks
