Our Mission
Casa de Esperanza strives to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect for at-risk infants, children and their families by providing comprehensive residential and family support programs that transform people and communities.
Our Vision
Every child deserves a home that provides safety, health, permanence and hope.
Our Vision
Every child deserves a home that provides safety, health, permanence and hope.
Our Values
Belonging
Few things are more damaging to a child than not being wanted. It is important for children to know they belong.
Safety
We establish and sustain safety through a positive environment, which is vital to a child's mental, physical, and emotional health, development and education.
Relationships
By forming strong relationships, generational change and healing are possible.
Permanence
Children who have been abused, neglected, traumatized, homeless, hungry or affected by HIV reach their fullest potential when they are part of a stable and supportive family.
Community
Casa de Esperanza’s greatest resources are our relationships with volunteers, donors, volunteer foster families, adoptive families, Hands of Hope House Parents, and staff who open their hearts and change their lives to support the children and families we serve.
Education
We are committed to inspire and teach our community and future generations the value of protecting the most vulnerable.
Support
Services are provided at no cost to our families, through the generosity of our supporters, and without government funding.
Looking To The Future
STRATEGIC PLAN
Build a continuum of care.
Our continuum of care provides ongoing support for children, youth, and families.
Operate at capacity.
Our residential program strives to operate at capacity, responding to our community’s need for services.
Attract and retain talent.
We attract, develop, and retain the talent we need to achieve our strategic goals in fulfillment of our mission.
Stay financially sustainable.
We embrace long-term financial sustainability by expanding and diversifying our sources of support.
Steward real estate assets.
We are excellent stewards of our real estate assets and make optimal use of our resources.
Follow best practices.
Our board advances our mission by following the best practices of nonprofit boards.
Our History
Kathy Foster, Bill Jones and a small group of friends begin meeting to discuss opening a home for abused children.
Houston attorney Paul Daugherty makes initial donation of $500 and the first Casa de Esperanza house is rented.
1982
Dr. Kathleen Motil, a pediatrician, visits Casa de Esperanza and begins volunteering and providing a weekly clinic for the children.
1983
Two volunteer psychologists, including Ronnie Koehn, visit Casa de Esperanza and begin to provide services to the children. Ronnie is later hired on staff full-time and worked for Casa for nearly 40 years.
1984
Casa cares for its first child with HIV.
1986
Casa de Esperanza celebrates its first adoption.
1988
Mary Nicholas donates 4 acres which will become the Casa Neighborhood and Office location.
1990
Casa de Esperanza is the beneficiary of the first Houston Rockets Tux & Tennies gala and a portion of the proceeds are used to build the Rockets Center offices.
1995
Casa Academy opens to provide educational support to post-adoption clients.
1997
100th adoption takes place, and the Hands of Hope Service Year program is established.
2000
The new neighborhood opens. David Weekley Homes built the homes at cost and the Morgan Group built the neighborhood’s infrastructure.
2008
Casa de Esperanza celebrates 30 years of service to the Greater Houston community.
2012
Co-founder Bill Jones retires from Casa de Esperanza. Shelley Starr is named Executive Director.
2017
Co-founder Kathy Foster retires from Casa de Esperanza.
2019
Shelley Starr retires, and Melissa Simon becomes Casa’s third CEO. In the fall of 2021, the staff and board create a 3-year Strategic Plan to continue the mission of Casa de Esperanza.
2021
Casa de Esperanza celebrates our 40th Anniversary!
2022
AmeriCorps and Casa de Esperanza partner to create the Hands of Hope AmeriCorps Service Member program.
2023
We are so grateful for all the donors, volunteers, staff, children, and parents who have been on this journey with us.
We deeply value your continuing support, and invite you to collaborate with us as we work to see every child in Houston grow up in a safe and stable home that gives them hope for a brighter future.
Honoring our founders: Kathy Foster & Bill Jones
With an original gift of $500 and the help of many friends, Kathy Foster and Bill Jones opened Casa de Esperanza’s first home for children in crisis in October 1982.
Watch the video to learn more about Kathy and Bill, and the story of how they founded Casa de Esperanza.