What Is Hope House?

Hope House is a 55 bed transitional shelter for men located in the Lawndale neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. Lawndale is Chicago's poorest neighborhood.

The precursor to Hope House was the Good Samaritan Shelter which began as an outreach ministry
of House of Prayer, a vibrant congregation under the leadership of Dr. Lincoln Scott. Dr. Scott has
ministered to the poor on Chicago's West Side for over 35 years.

The impetus for the shelter came several years ago when Dr. Scott learned that two young men had frozen to death on a winter's night not far from his church. The Good Samaritan Shelter opened its doors in 1989 as a "warming center" that is,an overnight facility operating during the winter months. On a typical night, sixty men were given a hot meal, a safe place to sleep, and words of
encouragement to revive their spirits.

During the early years. Hope House was primarily supported by the congregation of House of Prayer. However, Dr. Scott dreamed of a much more comprehensive program that would go beyond meeting basic needs. Dr. Scott wanted to offer men the opportunity to create healthy and productive lives.