Leo Zerhusen and his wife Diane founded HOPE For All with Christian compassion in 2004. Together, Leo and Diane, with more than 44 years of combined classroom experience in Anne Arundel County, have seen how children with unmet needs - whether it be the condition of their clothing, empty stomachs or not having required school supplies - are at a disadvantage experiencing embarrassment, insecurity and hopelessness - not an environment from which to learn and grow into all that God intends for them. With that awareness and because they participated in church and community volunteer efforts for many years and because their strong faith, a vision in faith for helping families in need became stronger and stronger for Leo. Eventually he was moved to act on that vision. In 2004, Leo and Diane, with the help of their accountant, established HOPE as a non-profit ecumenical ministry founded on and enriched with Christian principles. HOPE was incorporated in the state of Maryland in 2004 and received non-profit tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service in February 2006. HOPE serves families and individuals, including the homeless, in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City and the Appalachian region who do not have the resources to provide for their own needs. Through the caring actions of its volunteers and donors, HOPE provides opportunity for the less fortunate to work toward joining or rejoining society in the way that many of us take for granted. HOPE is somewhat unique in that it was founded not to duplicate the efforts of other charitable organizations but to supplement their work by helping them obtain the resources needed to help their clientele. As a result, HOPE seeks to improve our community by providing support directly to people in need and also indirectly by distributing resources to other compatible charitable organizations. As a Christian ministry, our relationship with churches of all denominations and independent churches is important to us. Please contact us if your church would like to learn more about us or begin to partner with us in compassionate Christian service to God's people in need.
