ABOUT US
The Hope, Love, & Me foundation began with just that, hope and love. We are driven by two primary goals. First, to get our founder Melissa, to places unable to be reached. Places that need hope and awareness sprinkled with inspiration; but are otherwise limited to budget constraints. Grace doesn’t have a price. With the aide of this foundation, because of your help, the unreached are able to be reached.
Our second goal is to bring light and life back into those who are spinal cord injured.
In 2008, founder Melissa Ann became paralyzed after making one mistake that changed everything. After a night of consuming alcohol underage, she left the house she was at with one plan, to get home and sleep in her own bed. A one car crash, and nearly eight flips later, left her a quadriplegic after breaking her neck in five places. A mistake it was, but has now transitioned from tragedy to hope. She knows firsthand what a complete shock these injuries can do to a survivor and family, so instead of remaining passive, she has chosen to take action. She not only wants to create national awareness on the reality and consequences behind destructive choice making, but also continues to raise money to cover further therapeutic expenses while offering support to those affected in need. It took a cervical level spinal cord injury to get Melissa started, but her passion is alive and it’s the hope that helps her thrive.
In November 2015, The Hope Love & Me Foundation received it’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the vision of helping people. This was a blessing and an immense accomplishment towards the growth of this foundation. Melissa, and the team beside her, are extremely humbled with eyes towards the future. Melissa states, “There’s no one definition of life for everybody. We all face different journeys that in some of the neatest ways bring us all together.”
Our Goals include:
• Prevention: reaching every generation through speaking engagements (experience in but not limited to: high and middle schools, elementary and alternative schools, colleges, DUI offenders, county jails, juvenile detention centers, summer camps and church groups, as well as Keynote)
• Outreach: creating experiences for those hungry for hope & providing resources for those affected by a life altering injury
• Partnership: partnering with like minded organizations; as well as launching book campaigns and charitable events to fund tangible resources