Dear Friends,

Jesus’s Parable of the Great banquet (Luke 14:13-23) has inspired generations of Christians to “go out quickly into the streets and alleys” to invite the poor to the banquet table of God’s kingdom. 

Spreading Hope Network was launched in 2017 believing that the cause of access to God-centered education was too urgent to wait for education policies to change. If God-centered education is a banquet table, we exist to equip leaders called to start new schools designed to invite all children – regardless of income level or zip code — to the feast. 

In the last four years, we have:

• Hosted and equipped 200 leaders from 85 cities at training events (note: our next Hope Plunge events in Minneapolis are Jan 21-22 & May 12-13)
• Helped kick-start nine new excellent God-centered schools in Chicago, Houston, Kinston, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Charleston, Richmond, and Nashville.
• In total, these nine schools have added 600+ new seats (so far) at the banquet table for children of the city.
  

We invite you to consider a gift by December 31 as we equip leaders creating seats at the banquet for families like Lamica.

Lamica Jenkins is a single mother of four in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In the last two years, God has brought her out of homelessness and unhealthy relationships and blessed her with a home and a Christian community.

“Looking back,” she said, “I realize that in my childhood community, there wasn’t a consistency of values between church, home, and school — and so I ventured off the path of God. My prayer is that my children will have a better future — and my prayer is that my kids can go to a Christ-centered school.”

God is answering Lamica’s prayer in Kenosha, raising up local Kenosha donors and a gifted leader — Justin Denney — to start Kenosha Christian Academy (KCA). They will, Lord willing, launch this coming fall and serve 60 students in grades pre-k through 3. Lamica is excited to enroll her school-aged daughter.

By 2026, our vision is to equip leaders in 30+ cities to start new private and independently governed God-centered schools — providing 4000+ seats of access. For this coming fall, we need your help as we equip leaders to add 250 more seats in eleven cities – including new schools in Kenosha and Shreveport. 

We forge a retainer-based relationship with these leaders — helping them start well (and small), dream big, and grow slow. While client fees cover 12% of our expenses, we invite you to prayerfully consider joining in this mission at one of the following levels:

• Seat Sponsor ($1,000; $87/month) — Sponsor a seat of access
• Family Level ($5,000; $417/month) — Sponsor five seats at the table
• Table Setter ($10,000) — Set a table of access
• Banquet Preparer ($25,000) — Help prepare the banquet in a new city

We firmly believe that our cities will be won by those who bring its youth the greatest hope. May our God who spreads the banquet table continue to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20).

Gratefully in Christ,

Dan Olson, Executive Director

P.S. If you have questions about our mission, strategy, and impact, we would love to visit with you. Do email me at dan.olson@spreading-hope.org.

WAYS TO GIVE

We invite one-time gifts, and also recurring support on a monthly or annual basis. Want to support SHN but can’t give by December 31? Contact Cari Gregory at spreadinghopenetwork@gmail.com to indicate your intention to give in 2022.

Give Online

Click here to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.

Give By Mail

Checks may be payable to “Spreading Hope Network” and mailed to:
Spreading Hope Network
P.O. Box 6381
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Give Stock

To make a gift of stock to Spreading Hope Network, follow three simple steps:

1. Transfer the stock shares to our brokerage account at Wells Trade (“Spreading Hope”, Account #6139-8498, DTC #0141)
2. Contact Cari Gregory to let us know you’ve transferred stock (otherwise we won’t know it’s from you): spreadinghopenetwork@gmail.com or 612-492-1880.
3. We will liquidate the stock upon receipt, and then send an acknowledgement of your gift for your tax records.

LEARN MORE:

• Click here to download a 5-Year SHN – Timeline, Impact, Future Vision (PDF).
• Watch Spreading Hope 101 – a 30-minute YouTube conversation about the 5-year impact of Spreading Hope Network.