With the help of generous donations, Easton Legacy Fund aims to help Easton not-for-profits support and give back to the town through various projects. Below, we highlight the House of Possibilities Easton (HOPe), which we feel is a strong consideration for future Legacy Fund grants.
House of Possibilities (HOPe)
350 Washington Street, North Easton | Visit Site
At the Start
HOPe began with a powerful vision: provide families caring for a child with disabilities with much-needed respite. This vision, fueled by collaboration with Stonehill College and the Yawkey Foundation, culminated in HOPe’s opening in 2009 and it has grown since to include a day program, and coaching and college navigation services as well as social and recreational activities for children, teens, and adults.
Today
HOPe operates 24/7, and every year, nearly 300 families from over 60 Massachusetts communities find support and connection at HOPe. All of HOPe’s programs inspire children and adults to appreciate their abilities and instill a determination to exceed the expectations of their disabilities. Its pathways to employment program for adult members has a 31% workforce participation rate, high for people with disabilities.
A Major Expansion for a Growing Community
If you’ve driven past the Stonehill campus recently, you’ve seen the construction activity at HOPe. The organization is in the midst of a transformational expansion — doubling its program space with a new 15,000squarefoot building and a full renovation of its existing 11,000squarefoot home.
When the project is completed in the summer of 2026, HOPe members will have on campus access to a commercial training kitchen, flexible community and gathering spaces, an art and design studio, a rotational jobs lab (the employers training there change every few years) a music and recording studio.
During its year of construction disruption, HOPe kept its 300 members fully engaged by securing alternative spaces and maintaining uninterrupted programming — an impressive feat that speaks to the ingenuity and dedication of its staff and volunteers.
HOPe Members Contribute Across Easton
HOPe’s connection to Easton begins with Stonehill College, whose partnership has
been central since the organization’s founding. HOPe’s campus sits on Stonehill land, and the college’s Roche Dining Hall as well as other Stonehill venues provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for HOPe members. More than 70 Stonehill students volunteer with HOPe each year.
Across Easton, HOPe members also contribute through volunteer opportunities with HOPe’s Easton partners, including: My Brother’s Keeper, Holy Cross Retreat House, Unity Church, Natural Resources Trust of Easton, First Parish Church.
These relationships give HOPe members a chance to build skills, confidence, and community connections, all of which are core objectives of HOPe’s mission.
Easton Organizations Supporting HOPe
Other Easton groups have supported HOPe’s mission by sponsoring programs, and events for HOPe members. They include: The Art Coop, Bank of Easton, Easton Charitable Fund, Easton Garden Club, Easton Wings of Hope, Easton Women of Today, the Town of Easton Recreation Department, Blanche Ames School.
Together, these organizations help expand what’s possible for HOPe members — and strengthen Easton’s commitment to inclusion and belonging.
Why It Matters
HOPe’s work changes lives. Its programs give hundreds of families a place where their children and adults can learn, grow, and thrive. And its deep partnerships across Easton show how a community becomes stronger when everyone is included.