Giving HOPE Inc. (formerly HOPE Inc.) has been serving individuals and families in Denton County since 1986. The organization was started by a group of ministers and other citizens who became concerned about the increasing number of people who were coming to churches to ask for financial assistance just to get through another month. HOPE Inc. was born after an advisory committee conducted informal research about the community needs and visited existing programs in the North Texas area that served people who were currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Giving HOPE Inc. was a vital part of a network of agencies providing services for people who are currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness in Denton County. Giving HOPE Inc. is one of the Denton County front door agencies where people can access Coordinated Entry services and quickly be referred to an appropriate housing intervention.

The primary programs of Giving HOPE Inc. are listed below. With each program, case-management and wrap-around services are provided to ensure a path to housing stability:

• Homelessness Prevention

• Rapid Re-Housing

• Permanent Supportive Housing

• Street Outreach

Grace Like Rain Founded in 2016, Grace Like Rain (GLR) aids families who are in crisis and/or homeless. Our community-centric program focuses on 3 areas: affordable housing; reliable transportation; and quality and affordable childcare. We also provide life skills training to enable our clients to achieve long term personal and financial stability. During the challenging times that the COVID pandemic of 2020 caused, Grace Like Rain adapted and recognized where our resources were needed most. The foundational structure of community-centric case management services transformed and grew to encompass three specific organizational branches that integrate to meet the whole needs of families in Denton County, including:

• Rise with Grace Case Management Program

• Life Skills Programs

• Housing & Readiness including Emergency and Transitional Shelter

The idea for Grace Like Rain came to founder Michelle Conner after she began volunteering with an organization that provided temporary and voluntary care for children while her parents were in crisis. She saw so many families lacking the support of family and community as they struggled. During her battle with Stage Three Ovarian Cancer and her time as a single mom, the support of her family and community kept her going. They listened, equipped, supported, and encouraged her through every step of her trials — But it hurt her to know that other families in crises were enduring similar struggles without this same support.

So in 2016, Michelle’s family and a few other friends set out with a big dream to start a new organization — Grace Like Rain, a non-profit focused on approaching homelessness holistically by addressing the root causes and barriers. They intended to provide client families with one of the most important yet intangible needs: a sense of belonging and wholeness that comes from community. They started by equipping coaches to build relationships with families that were struggling as these individuals often had no one else to turn to. In listening to these families, Michelle and her team began to notice patterns in some of the major barriers they faced. Over time, they saw the extreme need for affordable housing, reliable transportation, and quality and affordable childcare. Grace Like Rain established strategies and plans to address these three areas.

We are happy to answer any questions you have about our organization.

Please email our CEO Michelle for more information, and visit our GuideStar profile.