Project Hope School - Orange County, LA

About the Project HOPE School Foundation

"Breaking the cycle of homelessness — one child, one classroom, one community at a time."

Founded in 2003 by a dedicated group of community volunteers, the Project HOPE School Foundation (PHSF) exists to do something simple but profound: make sure that no child's potential is limited by where they sleep at night. Through financial support, community advocacy, and a wide range of wrap-around services, PHSF stands alongside the children and families of Project HOPE School every step of the way.

Our guiding vision is clear — break the cycle of homelessness through exceptional education. We believe that a stable, nurturing school environment is one of the most powerful tools a community can offer a child in need.

---

How Project HOPE School Works

Project HOPE School operates as part of the Orange County Department of Education's ACCESS program — a specially designed alternative education initiative serving students who face extraordinary challenges outside the classroom. OCDE is proud to provide:

• A dedicated school facility
• Credentialed teachers and experienced administrative staff
• A structured, grade-appropriate curriculum
• Special education aides to support students with individualized needs

This partnership means students receive a full, accredited educational experience — the same quality of instruction available to any child in Orange County — regardless of their housing situation.

---

What PHSF Provides

While OCDE covers the academic core, many of the services that make HOPE School truly life-changing fall outside the public school budget. That's where you come in. Through grants, fundraising events, and generous donations from community members like you, PHSF funds a full suite of critical support services:

Student & Family Support

• A full-time, on-site social worker who connects families with housing resources, counseling referrals, and community services
• Family assistance programs providing emergency support and guidance to parents and guardians navigating crisis
• Seasonal holiday programs that bring joy and normalcy to students during what can be a particularly difficult time of year

Getting Kids to School — and Back Home Safely

• Transportation to and from school, ensuring attendance is never blocked by a lack of a reliable ride
• Transportation to and from the after-school program, run in close collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin

After-School Care & Enrichment

• After-school care at the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin, providing a safe, supervised, and enriching environment when the school day ends
• A strings music program featuring violin and cello instruction — because every child deserves access to the arts
• Extracurricular trips and activities that broaden horizons and build confidence — the kinds of experiences that a traditional school PTA typically makes possible

Foundation Operations

• A part-time Executive Director to lead the Foundation's strategy, partnerships, and programs
• A part-time Program Assistant to support day-to-day operations and ensure services run smoothly

---

---

News & Updates

Stay up to date with the latest stories, milestones, and community spotlights featuring Project HOPE School and the Foundation.

Helpful Resources & Partner Organizations

• Boys & Girls Club of Tustin
  PHSF works in close collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of Tustin to provide after-school care and enrichment for Project HOPE School students. PHSF funds transportation services to and from school, as well as to and from the Club's after-school program — following the Club's established guidelines to ensure every child arrives and returns safely.
• Orange County Department of Education – ACCESS Program
  Project HOPE School operates as part of OCDE's ACCESS (Alternative, Community, and Correctional Education Schools and Services) program. OCDE provides the school's facility, credentialed teachers, administration, curriculum, and special education aides — forming the academic backbone that PHSF builds upon with its wrap-around support services.
• OCDE HOPES Collaborative – Homeless Outreach Promoting Educational Success
  PHSF's mission aligns closely with the OCDE HOPES Collaborative, a county-wide partnership that works to remove enrollment barriers for homeless students and connect families with critical housing, transportation, and educational resources across Orange County.
• Fact Sheet: Educating Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness – SchoolHouse Connection
  SchoolHouse Connection is a leading national nonprofit advocating for homeless children's educational rights. Their research-backed fact sheets highlight the very challenges — chronic absenteeism, school instability, and lack of transportation — that PHSF works every day to overcome for its students.
• How Schools Can Help Students Facing Homelessness Get to Class – EdSource
  This in-depth California-focused report underscores why reliable transportation is one of the single most important factors in keeping homeless students in school — reinforcing the critical role PHSF's transportation funding plays in the daily lives of Project HOPE School students.
• Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness: District & Nonprofit Approaches – Learning Policy Institute
  This policy brief from the Learning Policy Institute examines how nonprofit organizations and school districts can partner to deliver wrap-around services — from social workers to after-school care to family assistance — exactly the model that PHSF has championed for over two decades.
• How to Teach Kids to Read at an Early Age – Kidz Under Construction
  Early literacy is a cornerstone of Project HOPE School's teaching approach. This resource highlights the importance of using phonics in teaching programs — a structured, proven method that helps young children decode words and build reading fluency from the ground up. For students whose education has been disrupted by homelessness, a strong phonics foundation is especially vital to closing learning gaps and building lasting academic confidence.