Our Rock the Run 5K returns Saturday, April 22nd at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown. Registration is now open and only $30 from now until April 21st.
We’re proud to announce that DOT Foods, located in Williamsport, is our title sponsor this year! We’re grateful for their support and partnership this year. Learn more about DOT Foods by visiting dotfoods.com.
Our Pirates vs Princess 5K is a fun course that starts and ends at Fairgrounds Park but takes participants through the historic and beautiful north end of Hagerstown. It’s a fun, moderately challenging course that’s perfect for seasoned runners and those just starting out.
And we’re happy to be working with Racine MultiSports again this year to provide a top notch race experience for all of our participants. Learn more about Racine MultiSports by visiting racinemultisports.com.
Rock the Run is a great activity for families – with a Kids One Mile Fun Run taking place just prior to the 5K. And with the excitement of dressing up like pirates and/or princesses our 5K makes for a fun day with the family.
It’s also a great team building activity for your workplace, school, athletic club, church, or friend group. Get a big group together to participate and split into a pirate team and a princess team to compete against each other!
Whether you come alone or with a group, participating in our Rock the Run 5K is another way to help the community. Proceeds from the 5K benefit the various programs and services provided for free to neighbors in need in our community. Your participation is helping to make a difference in the lives of thousands of men, women, and children in our community!
To learn more or to register please go to rocktherunhagerstown.com.
We’ve got two upcoming special events where we could use a little extra help. Both of these events only require a few hours of volunteer service. If interested in volunteering or would like more info please call Michelle at 301.739.1165 or email her at volunteer@hagerstownhopecenter.com.
The first event we need volunteers for is our Community Grocery Giveaway which will take place on Sunday, February 19th from 2-4pm in the Trinity Center. Volunteers will help community guests receive free groceries or toiletries. Volunteers will have the opportunity to chat with guests and keep each assigned table stocked with products for guests. We will only need volunteers to help from 1:30-4pm. This is an important event for our guests and we need each table to have at least one volunteer to help keep the event moving. For more info about volunteer responsibilities please contact Michelle at the number or email listed above.
Our second event is our Rock the Run 5K: Pirates vs Princess which takes place at Fairgrounds Park at 9am on Saturday, April 22nd. Just prior to the 5K at 8:30am we host a Kids One Mile Fun Run. There are many different ways for volunteers to help that day including registration tent, food tent, set up and tear down, course guides, and more. To learn more about volunteering at our 5K please contact Michelle. Also, encourage friends and family to participate in the 5K and make it a fun morning activity! Registration is open so have anyone interested in participating visit rocktherunhagerstown.com.
In addition to these events we’re always looking for volunteers for our Wildside Youth program. Wildside is a free after school program for kids ages 5-12. We have a couple different events throughout the month. Volunteers can select to serve at just one, some, or all the events. Volunteers are needed for about 2 hours at each event. If you’d like to learn more about these events and what’s involved with volunteering please contact Adrian by emailing info@wildsideyouth.com or call him at 301.739.1165.
Volunteers have always been a huge part of the success of The Hope Center! If you’d like to learn more about all the various programs and services at The Hope Center or different ways you can get involved please visit hagerstowhopecenter.com.
Happy February! This new month brings us a new Pantry Item and this one is an important part of our food program especially our upcoming Community Grocery Giveaway that’s taking place later this month.
For February we’re asking for donations of RAMEN! Ramen is a food bag staple but also a hot item that is beloved by the majority of people who come to our Community Grocery Giveaway.
Unfortunately, we are running extremely low on this product and don’t have a very large amount to share at our grocery event. Any donation of this item is extremely helpful and beneficial to helping us meet the needs of our neighbors.
If you’d like to donate please drop off at our Administrative Office during business hours Mon – Fri. If those hours don’t work for you please call us at 301.739.1165 or email info@hagerstownhopecenter.com to arrange a time that works.
If you prefer shopping online please use 125 N. Prospect St, Hagerstown, MD 21740 for our delivery address.
Any donation is a blessing and an investment in the lives of your neighbors in need!
Our Community Grocery Giveaway is taking place on Sunday, February 19th from 2-4pm in the Trinity Center. This is a free event for anyone and everyone in the community who is in need of grocery assistance. For more info please call 301.739.1165.
It is with tremendous sorrow that we announce the passing of one of our staff members, Frank Shortt. Frank went home to be with the Lord on January 2nd.
Frank was not just another staff person at The Hope Center. Frank first came to us seeking help for his addictions. He found victory in Jesus and was a 2015 graduate of our Foundations Life Recovery program. After graduating, Frank started working at The Hope Center where he was a truck driver, kitchen staff, deskman, chaplain, and most recently, a work supervisor for the men currently in Foundations. One thing that everyone at The Hope Center will tell you is that Frank was a hard worker.
Frank loved his job because he loved serving the Lord. Working at The Hope Center gave Frank the opportunity to give back and help encourage the men who were in the Foundations program just like he was. He loved investing in the men and helping them to see that they are capable of victory in Christ. He strived to be a worthy example to the men that the miraculous work God did in his life was possible in theirs. He was a cheerleader for others whose path was similar to his.
Frank didn’t always have an easy life. He dealt with drug addictions and found himself in prison. And his first attempt at recovery in our Foundations program was not successful. But when he returned he was able to put an end to his old self and become renewed and changed through Jesus and never looked back.
Frank was a father. Frank was a husband. Frank was a coworker. Frank was a friend. But most importantly, Frank was a follower of Christ who is now fully healed and experiencing joy in Heaven with his Savior.
Frank leaves a huge hole at The Hope Center, but, he also leaves behind a great legacy. Words cannot express how thankful we are for all Frank did at The Hope Center and how much we’re truly going to miss him every single day. As much as this hurts, we rejoice knowing the we will see him again on the other side of this life.
Please pray for his wife Angel, his family in Hagerstown & Baltimore, and all the people he touched in this lifetime who were able to call him a friend.
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
We’re wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas! May you all have a safe and happy day celebrating the birth of Jesus!
The cold and flu season is here and it’s hitting us with a vengeance! We are in desperate need of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and non-drowsy cold/flu medication.
Any donation of these medicines will be greatly appreciated!
To donate please drop off to our Administrative Office during business hours Mon – Fri. If those times don’t work for you then please call us at 301.739.1165 to arrange a better time. Our Administrative Office is located across the parking lot from our Thrift Store at 215 W. Church St.
If you prefer shopping online at AmazonSmile or a different vendor then please use 125 N. Prospect St, Hagerstown, MD 21740 for our delivery address.
Thank you for caring and sharing with your community!!
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it! And this year we’re excited to be hosting our annual Great Hagerstown Thanksgiving Feast again in-person at the Trinity Center!!
Hosting our Thanksgiving feast during the pandemic meant that for the last two years we could only provide delivery of meals and not a huge community celebration. But now we’re back and ready to host hundreds of people for our Thanksgiving buffet.
But to pull off an event of this size we need help. We’re currently looking for volunteers to help set up, serve, and clean up at our celebration in the Trinity Center. Doors for the event open at 11am and the celebration begins at 11:30am. Most of the event is concluded by 1pm. The majority of volunteers would be used between 10am -1pm unless otherwise noted.
This is a great activity for families, coworkers, youth groups, Sunday school classes, or just you! You’ll have the opportunity to meet so many people and be a part of genuinely fun and fulfilling Thanksgiving celebration.
If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more please call Michelle at 301.739.1165 or email her at volunteer@hagerstownhopecenter.com.
Learn more about our Great Hagerstown Thanksgiving Feast and other events, programs, services and ways to get involved by visiting hagerstownhopecenter.com.
In July we were honored to be able to celebrate three men who graduated from our Foundations Life Recovery program!
Join us in congratulating Odell, Sean and Robert on their big accomplishment!!
Foundations Life Recovery is a 13-month residential program where guys seek help and recovery from addictions, personal issues, and destructive choices. The men attend classes, chapel, and counseling sessions to help them overcome the spiritual and personal obstacles that hindered their ability to live a life of purpose.
We asked each of our graduates to write down a little something about what brought them to The Hope Center, their journey to recovery, and what the future holds for them. These are their words:
ROBERT HARE
“I grew up in Western Maryland. I got saved at 10 or 12 years old at the Church of God in Cumberland, Maryland.
I became a truck driver, fell on hard times, and ended up homeless in Hagerstown. I came to The Hope Center, got into their Christian program (Foundations Life Recovery) to try to get back in touch with God.
I got through the program and now I am going to church again and I have God in my life.
I am planning to find work and get my life back together and move on with my life.
I keep thinking abot Philippians 4:13 which says, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'”
SEAN FANTONE
“While I have had a relationship with my Lord and Savior all my life, in my later years I fell into the sins of pride, anger, lust, and deceit. Since coming to The Hope Center, thanks to the staff of people that God put here to help men, I have recognized my sins and have spent many hours praying and repenting.
My experiences here, and the program classes and chapel services, have brought me much closer to Jesus. I now walk a more humble path, choosing forgiveness and understanding, as Jesus would do.
My walk with God during my studies in the Foundations Life Recovery program has prepared me to walk with Him moving forward to living the next chapter in my life.”
ODELL JAMES
“I’m from East Port, Maryland. I came to The Hope Center because of a housing situation. I stayed to learn more about our Lord and Saviro, to find out who He really is.
I arrived in January, 2021 after graduating from the Wells House after a lengthy prison sentence. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was released to the Well House program where I graduated. After that, I had housing issues so I was given a choice to go to REACH or The Hope Center. I was told by a person who worked at REACH that The Hope Center would be a better fit for me.
Once I came to The Hope Center I found myself in a position to get some answers to some questions I had about Jesus. The best way to get a full understanding was to join the program, so that’s what I did.
My favorite verse: Jeremiah 17:9 – “The hear is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?’ That was the first verse I memorized here.
My future plans aer to continue my walk with God and stay out of trouble, and contribute to society and find a job I can be proud of.”
We are so incredibly proud of these 3 men! They have worked so hard to get their lives back on track and have grown so much closer to God during this process of recovery. They’ve faced many challenges on their road to recovery but they’ve stayed the course and kept their focus on God and are now celebrating their success!
Please keep Odell, Sean, and Robert in your prayers as they move forward and start to re-establish themselves into society. Their life of recovery is just beginning and the prayer support of God’s people is so important to their long-term success.
Also, please pray for the men who are currently in our Foundations Life Recovery program and those who will eventually join it. The challenges are great and victory is hard earned but knowing that there’s a cheering section supporting them, loving them, and praying for them helps to make a huge difference! Please continue to pray for our Foundations Life Recovery program as it changes the lives of the men who are a part of it.
And for each of you who support The Hope Center: thank you! Your support, whether financial, through donations of food or gently used items, volunteer work, or your prayers, have been a part of the success of these men. You played a major role in helping provide housing, comfort, love, and hope to these men and thousands of men who enter The Hope Center each year. While these men aren’t able to thank each of you, please know that they are eternally grateful for your support!
So one more time, join us in congratulating Odell, Sean, and Robert for their success!!
To learn more about Foundations Life Recovery please visit hagerstownhopecenter.com/foundations
It’s almost time to UNLOCK THE SAVINGS!! There’s a great new grocery store in town and it’s Grand Opening is this Thursday, June 16th at 10:30am. We’re excited to be a partner community organization with Grocery Outlet and will proudly be in attendance at the Grand Opening celebration!
The Grocery Outlet Hagerstown will unlock savings at 10:30am in the former Kmart store at 1713 Massey Blvd! The new grocery store will open it’s doors at 8am on Thursday so the early birds get some great savings!!
And the first 100 customers in line will receive a Grocery Outlet gift card worth $5 – $250!! Must be 18 years old or older to participate.
The Grocery Outlet has an incredible selection of discount groceries. From fresh produce, to meats, dairy, and everything in between, you’ll find the store packed with all the great products you and your family love at prices that are nothing short of pure bliss! And you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the amount of deep-discounted name brand items on the shelves!
With grocery prices skyrocketing, it’s time to give your wallet a break. Mark your calendars and make a plan to experience this new grocery store (AND THE SAVINGS) this Thursday – and prepare to be WOWed!!
Grocery Outlet Grand Opening is Thursday, June 16th at 10:30am at 1713 Massey Blvd. The store opens at 8am and the grand opening ceremony is at 10:30am.
We had another huge turnout at our Community Grocery Giveaway on Sunday! from 2-4pm on Sunday, June 5th, the Trinity Center was bustling with guests doing a little complimentary grocery shopping.
Our Community Grocery Giveaway is a free food event to help provide grocery assistance to anyone in the community. With food prices rising and inflation taking its toll, many people are struggling to keep their pantries stocked and their families fed. Our Community Grocery Giveaway helped relieve some of the pressure for these families and individuals.
We provided a wide assortment of all sorts of non-perishable items like cereal, ramen, pasta, canned vegetables, boxed dinners, mac & cheese, beans, canned meat, and more.
We are so thankful to be able to help fight hunger in our community and make sure that no one is dealing with food insecurity. We noticed an increase in senior citizens who participated in the event due to rising prices vs their fixed income. These are definitely challenging times for many and we’re happy to be able to provide assistance.
And we’re able to help so many every month because of our wonderful group of supporters like you! Our Community Grocery Giveaways are possible because of the generous support of our friends who donate so much food each month! Not only are we able to host these grocery events every quarter but we’re serving multiple meals a day to the community and providing food bags every month to anyone in need. God continues to bless our pantry and provide us with the needed food to provide for our neighbors in need. It’s truly nothing short of a miracle how our pantry stays stocked for all the ways we help others. We thank God for everyone who has partnered with us to care for others in their time of need.
There were so many grateful people at our Community Grocery Giveaway. Your donations have helped to make a huge impact on your community – and not just in providing food but also providing hope and showing God’s love! Thank you for caring and sharing!
We also want to give a big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who gave time on Sunday afternoon to help make sure this event was so successful! Thank you so much for your kind and compassionate spirit and giving of your free time to care for the community!! We appreciate you all so much!
If you’d like to learn more about donating food and supporting our food programs then visit hagerstownhopecenter.com/pantry.
If you, or someone you know, is in need of grocery assistance please call us at 301.739.1165 to request a food bag.
The Hope Center of Hagerstown 