Meet HopeMatch

Matching local needs with compassionate givers

How We Spread Hope Through Helping

As a previous food stamp case manager with Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, Erin Blackmore, founder of HopeMatch, witnessed extreme need on a daily basis. What started as her husband’s Christmas bonus, facilitated the Blackmore’s to create HopeMatch in 2010. The organization quickly took off as there was a great need for families in the working class that were beyond the income limit to receive government assistance.

Originally, HopeMatch functioned as a Christmas-oriented program in which donors were matched with families in need to provide them with items on their wish-list of up to $100 in value per person. Now, in addition to the original holiday program, HopeMatch offers multiple avenues of aid such as access to financial classes, a pop up store for personal essential items, even a back to school event. The Blackmore’s are committed to finding new and innovative ways to spread to hope to those unseen and unheard through providing resources and encouragement to those who need it most.

Meet The Hope Bringers

Our team works tirelessly to serve the unseen and the underserved. Meet the minds behind HopeMatch that work together to bring hope to their community.

Erin Blackmore

Erin Blackmore

Executive Director

Jenny Van Strahlen

Jenny Van-Strahlen

Board Chairman

Shelli Moore

Shelli Moore

Governance/HR Chair

Aaron Bower

Treasurer

Greg Munson

Community Connections Chair

Tessa Barrier

Secretary

HopeMatch Cares About The Overlooked And Forgotten

“To the wonderful angels who have made this happen for us…you will never know how touched I am by this display of kindness. This has been by far the hardest year of my life, and I thought I had hidden that somewhat, but apparently someone noticed and realized that if I have ever needed help, that time is NOW. I am blown away by the concept of HopeMatch…an organization that targets those who could otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. I am even more blown away by the fact that someone would so graciously and selflessly give to my son (and me!) in this manner, asking nothing in return other than to share the promise that there is good amidst all of the bad. From my heart to yours, thank you, God bless you, and know that your time, love, and gifts are received into our little family with the utmost appreciation and returned love.”
-Angela

How can I get involved?

If you want to be a part of helping people like Angela, learn how you can generously give your time or resources to support our mission.

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Driven by our mission. Guided by our values.

At HopeMatch, our mission is to provide HOPE by matching local needs with compassionate givers as we aspire to bring lasting HOPE and encouragement to the unseen and underserved in our community. We are incredibly proud of the work we do in our community, but also the strong foundation of core values that we’ve built.

Attitude

We expect our leaders and volunteers to have a good attitude when they volunteer. We believe that we are great ambassadors to the community we serve; and we exhibit this by our positive attitude and excitement about our mission.

Communication

We believe there can never be too much communication and are committed to learning the communication styles that work best with the people we are working with.

Respect

We believe that everyone we come in contact with should be treated with respect and dignity. Every action we make is a reflection of the organization, so we should be mindful to always speak and act out of respect for each other.

Authenticity

In everything we do, we are genuine and authentic. We are a “real” organization and don’t get caught up in the hype of our culture, but provide a transparent, genuine, and honest place to serve and give.

Extreme Generosity

We believe that generosity can come in many forms and are committed to being generous both within the organization and outside of it.

Intentionality

Everything at HopeMatch is individualized to the people we serve. We realize this can take extra time, but it is proven to be worth it.

Prayer

We believe that we make plans as an organization, but God directs our steps. We commit to pray about the plans we are making and wait for confirmation on how to proceed next, as we incorporate this value into our daily lives and commit to pray for each other, as well as the families we serve, on a regular basis.

Compassionate Humility

HopeMatch leaders and volunteers are committed to serving out of a humble nature with a deep understanding that no one person is any better or any less than another. We put ourselves in the situation of the people we serve and respond in the way we would want to be treated if we were going through similar situations.