Our History
Rooted In Our History Invested In Our Future
Since 2016, Hope Starts Here has been a champion of change for Detroit’s early childhood ecosystem.
Hope Starts Here, in partnership with the Kellogg Foundation and Kresge Foundation, aims to make Detroit a city that puts children first.
It began as a series of important conversations to advance Detroit’s early childhood development system. Through advocacy and planning, more than 18,000 Detroiters—families, childcare providers, healthcare professionals, educators and more—contributed to Hope Starts Here’s initiative.
Via our six teams, Hope Starts Here supports the Detroit community to advance early childhood development. Each team’s strategies are carried out through a broad network of Community Champions who believe in our mission.
Our Path To Putting Children & Families First
- Nov 2016
- Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
- Feb - May 2017
- July - Nov 2017
- Mar 2020
- 2021
- 2023-24
-
Hope Starts Here Begins
The Hope Starts Here initiative began, along with the creation of Strategy Teams and the Stewardship Board for reporting oversight.
-
Parent Survey Initiated
Hope Starts Here and Strategy Teams collect information directly from families on needs.
-
Strategy Teams Activated
Hope Starts Here and Strategy Teams create ideas for a 10-year vision. Community listening sessions provide direct input.
-
Success Framework is Formalized
Six months in the making, The Strategy Teams and Hope Starts Here finalize the 10-year framework, action plan and success factors.
-
Hope Starts Here onboards all Team leads
Hope Starts Here begins response to new COVID protocols while finalizing remaining team leaders.
-
Work continues in response to the changing landscape
After a year in lockdown, Community Champions across our six teams continue to move toward achieving the Hope Starts Here goals.
-
Teams Unite Under PreK for All Initiative.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announces PreK for All. Hope Starts Here teams align to work toward the mission of providing every four-year-old in Michigan with access to free PreKindergarten by 2027.

Founding Team
Meet the team of people who were there in the beginning to help us get started.