About Hope Council
Mission & History
Hope Council has been rooted in Kenosha County since 1968. What began as a counseling-focused organization has grown into a community-based resource working across prevention, education, intervention, assessment, referral, family support, peer support, risk reduction, and recovery connection. Our purpose across all of that time has remained the same: meet people where they are, connect them to the right support, and believe that recovery is possible.
How Hope Council began
Hope Council began in August 1968, when the Kenosha County Council on Alcoholism opened its first office to provide local counseling for people affected by alcohol use. The organization formally incorporated on March 11, 1969, under the direction of Robert White, Sr. What began with two staff members grew into Hope Council on Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, Inc. Although its name and services have evolved over nearly six decades, its commitment to practical, compassionate, community-based support has remained.
Our Mission
Hope Council’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance use disorders in the community by providing education, prevention, intervention, and referral services.
Core Belief
Hope changes everything.
What Hope Council does
1968
Founded
The Kenosha County Council on Alcoholism opens its office under Robert White, Sr., providing counseling for people affected by alcohol use. It incorporates the following year.
1976
Beyond alcohol
Reflecting rapid growth and rising attention to other drugs, the agency is renamed the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Kenosha County, broadening its focus to prevention and referral. In its first decade it grows from 2 staff and an $18,000 budget to 22 staff and nearly $190,000.
1992
The Children’s Safe House
The Children’s Safe House opened in 1992 to provide emergency and short-term foster care for children affected by substance use, abuse, neglect, and family instability. It remained a cornerstone of the agency for 17 years.
2006
UDAAP begins
The Underage Drug and Alcohol Accountability Program launches as an educational alternative for young people cited for underage drinking or marijuana possession.
2008
The HOPE Council
The agency is renamed the HOPE Council, Inc. — Helping Others through Prevention and Education.
2011
Returning to our roots
The agency reintroduced I Am Special, a supportive education program for children affected by a loved one’s substance use. The organization adopted its current name, Hope Council on Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, Inc., and mission: to reduce the impact of substance use disorders in the community through education, prevention, intervention, and referral.
2012
Partnership and recovery support
Hope Council expanded its work through community intervention services, a partnership supporting Oxford House Lena, and added recovery coaching for individuals and families. The agency also earned the NAACP Kenosha Branch’s Positive Impact Award and UW-Parkside’s Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Award.
2023
A new home and expanded access
Hope Council moved to its current location on 39th Ave. and introduced Kenosha’s first public health vending machine, providing free 24/7 access to essential health supplies.
2026
A Full Continuum of Care
Hope Council unveiled a whole new look to mark a new chapter of growth and expanded service. They became certified under Wis DHS Chapter 75 to provide outpatient substance use treatment, expanded Mental Health First Aid training, and launched a new risk-reduction initiative—strengthening a continuum that spans prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.
What has stayed the same, and what has grown
Where we are headed
Hope Council is building what our community needs next: a connected, accessible continuum spanning prevention, early intervention, risk reduction, treatment, recovery, and support for loved ones. Wherever someone begins, there should always be a door open, a next step possible, and someone ready to help.
Nearly six decades in, we are still growing, still listening, and still imagining better ways to serve our community. Our work will continue to evolve, but the belief moving us forward will not:
