In 2009, Pastor and Heart of Hope founder Lynda Sargent received the God-given vision and passion to help others, to “Launch into the Deep.” In pursuit of genuine obedience to God, she started Heart of Hope Ministries to help those in need.

 

The reality of her vision manifested with one simple mission—to offer hope and healing to the hurting. She created a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to serving her community, and Heart of Hope was born.

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Ever since, Lynda has built on earlier successes, and has grown HOH into an organization that crosses denominational, racial, gender, age, and economic backgrounds, with one common factor to glue everyone together: to practice in our faith to help those who need.

 

In 2013, we were blessed when Dr. Myron Fields donated a beautiful brick office building to HOH. That same year we opened a Food Pantry and Clothing Ministry.

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Since opening we have experienced a steady increase in our outreach activities. In the first month we distributed over 500 food items to families. Numerous clothing and household items were also distributed.

 

We offer a variety of services at the outreach center that include:

• The Food Pantry, which between May 1, 2014, and November 30, 2020 has served over 342,000 pounds of food, to over 49,300 community residents!

• Our Clothing Ministry, which provides clothing to people in need who might not otherwise have access to what they need.

• Our Afterschool Programs providing nourishment to young minds and stomachs.

• We also offer a small computer lab and resource library. Residents can borrow Christian books, CDs, tapes and training materials.

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Future Vision

We have become a “Homes of Refuge” for those in need, and we have worked with businesses to rebuild and restore the west-end neighborhoods of Rock Island. We provide assistance to the formerly incarcerated and those who struggle with employment, economic, and empowerment opportunities.

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Awards

HOH has picked up numerous awards over the years for excellence in its community service. In 2013, we received the Community Hero Organization of the Year Reward by the Community Caring Conference. The list of rewards include the 2013 Denkman Park Renovation, the NAACP of Rock Island Island County 2013 Religious Image Award, Gathering of Women Team 2015 “Black Treasure” award, and the Trinity College of Nursing and Health Science 2016 “Distinguished Leadership Award.

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HOH received a Grant from Community Foundation of the Great River Bend that led to the hiring of a professional Strategic Planning Research Consultant. We then launched “OPERATION INCREASE” with a focus on developing our strategic outreach programs aimed at strengthening our community business partnerships. Our goal is to bring in new job opportunities for Quad Cities underserved residents, especially those who come from backgrounds that include homelessness and incarceration. We hope to give a hand up that includes more than bags of food and clothing!

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Please read about more awards and grants we have received on our Acknowledgments page.

 

What Your Dollars Provide

"Can you imagine the exhaustion of constantly struggling to put food on the table or to put warm clothes on the back of your family?"

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Our pickup of free food from various sources includes:

• • Monthly deliveries from the State of Illinois Emergency Food Services

  • Midwest Food Bank headquartered in Peoria

  • Weekly pickup of pizzas from Little Caesars; weekly pickup of bread and pastry items from Hy-Vee Stores on Locust Street in Davenport, IA; and

  • Sharing an abundance of meat from Christian Care Men’s Rescue Mission

• Heart of Hope is able to provide food and toiletry items to each visitor for $1.81, which equates to .59 cents per family member!!!
   

• This means that your donation of:

  • $25 provides food for 10 visitors

  • $50 provides food for 20 visitors

  • $100 provides food for 40 visitors
     

• Our new delivery truck requires $100 to fill up the gas tank, as we travel throughout the Quad Cities picking up food and delivering it to the elderly and disabled.
   

• The insurance on our new truck will be increasing our vehicle insurance by $1,544 annually. Will you help pay this increase?
   

• Please consider gift cards to Aldi, or donations of toiletry items such as laundry detergent, dish soap, and personal hygiene items. These are SO greatly requested, especially by the elderly and disabled!