Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Craft.
Hi Ken, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In August 2008, I started Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission. We started very humbly by offering a hot meal in a church fellowship hall. Since that time, we have continued to respond to urgent needs in the community. We currently have 15 homeless shelters that house over 1,400 people nightly and we are in the process of adding another 724 beds by July 2023. Our mission is to prevent, reduce and eliminate, poverty, hunger and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions. We believe that shelter is a human right and we do all we can to bring people indoors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Before Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a shelter emergency in 2018, we were only able to build shelters with 30 beds or less and only in restricted zoning. After the declaration, there is no limit to the number of beds and zoning regulations have been relaxed. Historically, a Tiny Home would not have been considered habitable, but under the declaration it is and thus our ability to scale and expand.
Finances and funding is always an issue as we have 27 site locations and nearly 600 employees. We work hard to create various funding streams such as Contracts with the City, Thrift Stores, Events, Direct appeals and Social Media.
We’ve been impressed with Hope the Mission, formally Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Hope the Mission is one of the youngest non-profits in Los Angeles but within 13 years, we have become one of the largest. This is due in part to our “can-do” “whatever it takes” attitude. Los Angeles is facing a humanitarian crisis with nearly 70,000 homeless. We cannot normalize encampments and suffering. We have utilized innovation and technology to create and deploy rapid housing thru Tiny Homes, Singe Family Residences, Re-purposing Building and Renovating Hotels. We refuse to think that there is only one way to get the job done…our motto is “yes … and”.
Besides offering hot meals, shelter, case management, housing navigation and job training, we launched our own mental health department to ensure our guests receive the best care possible.
What does success mean to you?
Success is when you find, follow and fulfill your purpose. Our purpose is end homeless and hunger in Los Angeles.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hopethemission.org
- Instagram: @hopeofthevalley
- Facebook: @hopeofthevalley
