About Hope House

Hope House of St. Croix Valley was founded in 1991 by two St. Croix Valley residents, Teresa and Casey vanderBent. Their research on AIDS housing found that people living with AIDS were an almost invisible group receiving the least amount of services in Washington County, and that Minnesotan’s with AIDS had few housing opportunities. As a result of the vanderBent’ s research and their strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, Hope House was created. In April 1991, a Board of Directors was formed, on May 7, 1991, the organization was incorporated and on September 30, 1991, the Hope House was granted its nonprofit tax-exempt status.

In the fall of 1991, the board determined that its first priority was to build a new home or remodel an existing one. On March 24, 1992, the organization purchased a 2,600-square foot house located on the campus of St. Mary’s Church from 218 W. Pine Partnership for $60,000. Hope House founders raised $15,000 and the remaining $45,000 was provided through an anonymous gift from an individual interested in promoting the building of additional AIDS housing in Minnesota.

In June 1992, a double lot was purchased from Independent School District 834 for $25,515. On July 14, 1992, the house was moved onto the lot located on the corner of North Everett Street and Cherry Street in Stillwater.

The building of Hope House was split into two projects. Andy Braden Construction was hired to build the addition. The second part of the building process was to remodel the existing house. The Board of Directors organized Saturday volunteer building crews that followed the “Habitat for Humanity” model.

Most of the remodeling in the original structure, and the finish work in the addition was completed by volunteer crews from local area churches and the community. Building costs were kept to a minimum while community ownership of the project was strengthened. Many people and corporations donated materials, furniture and household items to Hope House. The construction process was completed on August 31, 1993, and Hope House accepted its first resident in December 1993.

In the summer of 2021, armed with newfound insights on navigating a pandemic and a reinforced dedication to fostering diversity, inclusion, and equity, our organization embarked on a transformative journey. We recognized the imperative to reassess our mission and craft an aspirational vision to propel us toward accelerated growth and heightened impact.

Following numerous deliberations and deep introspection, both the Board and Staff collaboratively forged a new mission. Transitioning from a focus solely on “providing a nonjudgmental home with compassionate care that respects the dignity of people living with HIV/AIDS,” we evolved into Hope House, dedicated to offering “people experiencing life-changing health challenges access to compassionate care that respects their dignity and choices.” This mission was complemented by a fresh vision: “a future where all people have access to programs and services to live their best life!”

Casey VanderBent, the 2021-22 Board Chair, expressed, “The new Mission and Vision Statements of Hope House embody our organization’s robust leadership and underscore two guiding principles: the unwavering commitment to our founding mission of providing a home for people living with HIV/AIDS, which has imbued over 93 residents and their families with decades of hope, compassion, and acceptance, and the initiation of innovative programming to extend our outreach, offering support to a broader spectrum of individuals with diverse needs. In doing so, we aim to extend hope, compassion, and acceptance to those desiring to remain in their chosen homes.”