FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HopeWorks Social Enterprises helps low-income, Snohomish County residents, achieve self-sufficiency through social enterprises that provide training and pathways to living-wage jobs.

“Social enterprises are businesses whose primary purpose is the common good. They use the methods and disciplines of business and the power of the marketplace to advance their social, environmental and human justice agendas.”

Three characteristics distinguish a social enterprise from other types of businesses, nonprofits and government agencies:

• It directly addresses an intractable social need and serves the common good, either through its products and services or through the number of disadvantaged people it employs.

• Its commercial activity is a strong revenue driver, whether a significant earned income stream within a nonprofit’s mixed revenue portfolio, or a for profit enterprise.

• The common good is its primary purpose, literally “baked into” the organization’s DNA, and trumping all others.

Equally important when understanding the role of Social Enterprises, are the effects on local communities and the social ROI they develop.
On one hand, they produce direct, measurable public benefits. A classic employment-focused social enterprise, for example, might serve at least four public aims:

• Fiscal responsibility — It reduces the myriad costs of public supports for people facing barriers, by providing a pathway to economic self-sufficiency for those it employs.

• Public safety — It makes the community in which it operates safer, by disrupting cycles of poverty, crime, incarceration, chemical dependency and homelessness.

• Economic opportunity — It improves our pool of human capital and creates jobs in communities in need of economic renewal.

• Social justice — It gives a chance to those most in need.

1. Ground Works Landscaping was established in January 2011 as HopeWorks’ first social enterprise. Through professional job training, this business provides pathways to professional careers in the landscaping industry. Ground Works is a participating member in the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals in Snohomish County. WaterWorks Irrigation Services was established in April 2012 as HopeWorks’ second social enterprise business and has since been absorbed as a part of Ground Works.
2. RENEW Home & Decor opened its doors in July 2013 as HopeWorks’ third social enterprise. Starting as a web-based business and expanding into a retail showroom, this business offers community engagement by accepting donations of gently used quality furniture, as well as consignment opportunities. Trainees develop a variety of skills including high quality customer care, web-based and retail site marketing and inventory management.
3. Kindred Kitchen is a mission-based cafe & catering provider that provides culinary job training. Through the training program trainees gain skills in the food service industry enabling them to advance towards a living wage career.  Kindred Kitchen serves made-to-order sandwiches, salads, breakfast items, high quality drip coffee, espresso beverages, tea, fresh-baked pastries, and more.
4. Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center provides high-quality child development services to children and their parents. Tomorrow’s Hope is the only licensed child development facility in Snohomish County specifically designed to meet the needs of families experiencing or have experienced homelessness or poverty. The center is licensed to serve over 100 children from four weeks up to 12 years of age so that children of different ages in a family receive quality services at one location.

HopeWorks serves individuals who have a desire to learn with employable job skills that produce pathways to living wage careers. Our trainees come from various backgrounds in our community and are oftentimes experiencing barriers to employment outside of their control. Many of our clients currently come from our Housing Hope programs.

HopeWorks enjoys many supporters in Snohomish and King County areas. Many individuals lend a hand as volunteers, mentors, become social investors, or donate furniture to RENEW Home & Decor. Many local corporations support HopeWorks in many different ways.

The organizations that helped launch HopeWorks include:

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• The Boeing Community
• Campion Foundation
• The Whitehorse Foundation
• Everett Clinic Foundation
• Greater Everett Community Foundation
• William C. and Eleanor E. Butler Trust Fund
• JPMorgan Chase Foundation
• United Way of Snohomish County
• Henry M. Jackson Foundation
• Medina Foundation
• Workforce Snohomish

Visit our Get Involved page and determine what role may work for you. HopeWorks is always available to discuss specific needs as our headquarters and new social enterprise needs develop. Please don’t hesitate to email us at contacthw@hopewrks.org or call (425) 610-4931.

HopeWorks Social Enterprises is located at 3331 Broadway, Everett WA 98201.