Impact built together
Stronger families.
Stronger communities.
POH’s impact begins with what families say matters—and grows through the relationships, resources, and shared power that surround them.
140+
Families engaged since launch
8
Program cohorts
80+
Program alumni
50
Active families in 2026
Success, defined by families
Impact is more than a single number.
Every family enters POH with different strengths, priorities, and ideas for the future. That is why the program tracks progress toward self-defined goals as well as the connections that make progress more possible.
The result is a fuller picture: what families accomplish, who they can turn to, and how supported they feel along the way.
What POH pays attention to
Three dimensions of lasting progress
01
Family-defined goals
Progress toward the milestones each family chooses across stability, health, finances, education, and employment.
02
Social capital
The relationships families build with one another and the growth of the broader networks they can draw on.
03
Social-emotional well-being
The confidence, connection, and sense of support that help families keep moving through change.
Community grows through shared experiences.
From a pilot to a platform
A community story still unfolding.
Families, staff, neighbors, and partner organizations have shaped POH at every step.
2017 An alliance forms — Four Ward 1 organizations begin building a shared, family-centered model.
2018 The first cohort begins — Twenty families launch POH’s first program year and help shape the experience.
2023 The first big promise is met — POH reaches its initial vision of engaging 100 families over five years.
2026 The community keeps growing — Eight cohorts and more than 140 families have now been part of Platform of Hope.
A legacy at the heart of POH
Sylvia Stokes helped shape how hope shows up.
As POH’s first Project Lead and Family Care Lead, Sylvia brought wisdom, warmth, and a deep commitment to meeting families where they were. Her influence lives on in POH’s coaching model, family-centered approach, and culture of care.
“A Platform of Hope is needed in every city.”
— Sylvia Stokes, Founding Family Care Lead
Four founding partners
Built together from the beginning. Still building together today.
These four Ward 1 anchor institutions helped found Platform of Hope and remain among its most important current partners.
The record of the work
Annual reports
Explore the data, themes, family stories, and lessons that have shaped each chapter of Platform of Hope.
Help the next chapter grow
Stand with families defining their own future.
Your support helps sustain coaching, Family Saturdays, responsive workshops, and meaningful connections.