New Hope

02/20/2026

✨ 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩! ✨
In January, we hosted our Quarterly Employee Recognition Event, celebrating milestone anniversaries and honoring our Bee the Hope award winners! These incredible team members embody our mission of Enriching Lives, and we are beyond grateful for their dedication, hard work, and commitment.

🎉 Honorees:
⭐ Charlie Whalen – 35 years
⭐ Kelly Schubert – 25 years
⭐ Tina Allen – 25 years
⭐ Monica Schon – 20 years
⭐ Jeanne Gehling – 5 years
⭐ Jill Wernimont – 5 years
⭐ Linda Mozena – 5 years

🏆 Bee the Hope Award Winners:
🐝 April Janning
🐝 Emilee Ward
🐝 Camille Muhlbauer

👏 Join us in thanking and celebrating these amazing individuals for their years of service!

02/19/2026

💙 Meet Mark — A True New Hope Original 💙
Mark holds a very special place in our story… he was the very first individual to come live at New Hope nearly 50 years ago. Since then, he’s built a life full of friendships, routines, laughter, and growth.
Today, you can find Mark working at our C**n Rapids Bargain Shoppe, where he takes great pride in his job. He’ll tell you himself, having a job matters. Being part of a team matters. Contributing matters.
For almost five decades, Mark has trusted New Hope to be home. And in return, we’ve had the privilege of watching him live a full, meaningful life .
Stories like Mark’s are why we do what we do.
It’s not just about services.
It’s about lives lived fully.
Here’s to nearly 50 years of Mark — and many more ahead. 💛

02/18/2026

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙍𝙤𝙘𝙠! 🌟
At New Hope, we love celebrating the team members who go above and beyond — and our 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙍𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙮 is one of our favorite ways to do just that! 🏆 Presented at our monthly Supervisor Meetings, this award recognizes staff who are making a meaningful impact in the lives of the people we serve.

✨ Congratulations to 𝙅𝙤𝙮𝙘𝙚 𝙎𝙣𝙮𝙙𝙚𝙧!
As Supervisor of Custodians, Joyce has long been a dedicated advocate for the people we serve. Through Employment Resources, several individuals work under her guidance — and she makes sure each person has the opportunity to shine in their own way. Joyce welcomes new hires with open arms, giving people the chance to learn, grow, and prove themselves regardless of experience. She leads with fairness, respect, and dignity — always keeping the heart of our mission front and center. 💙

✨ Congratulations to 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨!
Our Transportation Director keeps things running smoothly — and with the number of daily appointments we coordinate, that’s no small task! 🚐 From haircuts to dental visits and everything in between, Donna and her team ensure individuals arrive safely and on time. She’s always the first to step in, whether that means rearranging vehicles at the last minute or transporting someone herself. Her positive attitude and willingness to help truly set the tone for the department.

✨ Congratulations to 𝙇𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙚 𝙏𝙚𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬!
Nominated by Donna at our February 10 Supervisor Meeting, Lacie continues to show what leadership looks like in action. As Interim CEO, she wears many hats — compliance, safety, policies, CARF questions and more — and handles it all with knowledge, energy, and a willingness to dig deep for answers. She takes the time to talk through situations, ask thoughtful questions, and support the team every step of the way.

These women exemplify what it means to live out our values and put the Heart of the Mission into action every single day. 💙 Joyce, Donna, and Lacie — thank you for everything you do. You Rock!

02/15/2026

Bingo cards, sweet treats, and lots of smiles ❤️🎉
Valentine’s Bingo on campus was filled with friendly competition and plenty of candy prizes! It’s more than a game. It’s a connection. It’s belonging. It’s joy.

02/14/2026

A SWEET day to dance! 💃🕺💘
A big thank you to Renew Church in Carroll for hosting our Dayhab Valentine’s Dance yesterday! There was laughter and lots of dancing (and a few impressive moves 😉). We are so grateful for community partners who open their doors and help create experiences for the individuals we serve.

02/14/2026

Smiles say it all ❤️📸
We captured so many sweet moments in front of our Valentine’s backdrop this week — staff and individuals together, celebrating friendship! At New Hope, love looks like laughter in the hallway, candy shared between friends, and smiles that light up the room. We’re grateful for the connections that make this place feel like home.

02/13/2026

💌 Love was in the air at New Hope this week! ❤️
Our Campus and Dayhab individuals spent time creating handmade Valentines, each one with candy, as part of a new Valentine’s Grams Project this year. These special Valentines were delivered to fellow individuals and staff, spreading smiles across our entire community.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣:
❤️People supporting people.
❤️Joy shared.
❤️Kindness multiplied.

02/12/2026

😍🥰 Thank you to Kuemper Catholic School for including our individuals in your activities. Small acts of kindness go a long way for the people we serve! ❤️💛

The boys basketball and wrestling programs had a few more teammates at a recent practice.

New Hope residents experienced how each team conducts practice and even took part in some of the drills, showing off their skills.

Kuemper is proud to be a partner with New Hope in advancing their wonderful mission in our community!

02/11/2026

It's Valentine's Week and we are truly FEELING THE LOVE ❤️ 😍

Thursday’s practice wasn’t about the high stakes of a typical Kuemper bowling session, it was about community. The team hosted a special afternoon for New Hope participants, trading their personal averages for the roles of coach and cheerleader.

From navigating wheelchairs to the approach to helping guests use bowling ramps, the Kuemper athletes ensured that everyone, regardless of mobility, could experience the “rhythmic thunder “ of the lanes.

There were plenty of strikes on the scoreboard, but the real victory was the connection made between these two groups. A huge thank you to New Hope for joining us and reminding us that sports are always better when shared!

02/08/2026

🎉🏈 Our campus got in on the Super Bowl LX spirit! Individuals colored helmets for their favorite team — 18 Seahawks and 14 Patriots — and our bulletin board is officially a sea of blue & green (and red, white & blue)! 💚💙❤️ May the best team win! 🏆

02/06/2026

💙 Honoring meaningful work. 💙
New Hope hosted its 2025 Annual Appreciation and Recognition Dinner in December, recognizing community members, partners, and supporters. The evening concluded with the inaugural Frank H. Hermsen Service Excellence Award, created in memory of New Hope’s longtime Executive Director and champion of dignity for all. This year, the award was presented to two extraordinary Direct Support Professionals:
✨ 𝙏𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣, 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩
✨ 𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨
Their compassion, leadership, creativity, and unwavering dedication embody everything this award represents. As Frank believed, and as we believe, this work deserves to be honored. 🌟

02/05/2026

Thank you to the Kuemper Catholic School boys basketball team for welcoming some of our individuals into practice on Wednesday. Your team showed what true inclusion looks like; everyone was treated with respect, encouragement, and genuine kindness. The smiles said it all. Experiences like this mean more than you know, and we are so grateful for the way you opened your gym and your hearts. 🏀💙💛😍