helping HANDS
Shelter from
Life’s Storms Hope House Foundation of Huntersville BY: » Karel Bond Lucander
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: » Lisa Crates
“T
he pandemic has made the community more aware of what transition feels like. We have all had our lives deeply impacted by closed businesses, scarcity of items, lack of resources and frustration and loss. These are the very things our families experienced every day, pre-pandemic,” says Debbie O’Handley, executive director of Hope
22 LimitlessMagOnline.com | January 2021
House. In 2004, when Dr. Lee Beth Lindquist founded Hope House in Huntersville, there was no place in the area for women to live when they were suddenly faced with a broken financial safety net. The dream to help them was realized in 2010 with a renovated building that could accommodate up to 12 people. Since then, 288 women suffering from homelessness have found tempo-
Top left: A sign that hangs in Hope House in Huntersville. Right: Hope House partners with other community organizations to offer women educational and job resources. Bottom: Hope House Executive Director Debbie O'Handley.
rary shelter here. Most have lost their jobs, lost their financial partners or developed health issues. Hope House offers them a six-month respite, where they can regroup to pull themselves up and continue on. “Our guests come to us in complete despair and hopelessness,” she says. “We come alongside of them and say, ‘I’m here for you to loan you my hope until you find yours again.’”
