Our Mission

The Hoop Institute is a non-for-profit research, service and educational organization committed to improving the lives of working people in disenfranchised communities of color (African American, Latino, Asian, Native American) and poor white ethnic. The Institute seeks to develop a thorough understanding of the factors that act as a barrier to the growth and development of these communities.

The Hoop Institute conducts research on several areas that are essential to a stable community life. These areas include health, education, housing, economic development, safety and the environment. The Hoop Institute is committed to working with communities to identify solutions to the problems that continue to have an impact on oppressed people.

The Hoop Institute is designed to provide communities with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to become healthy and independent. The Institute promotes self-determination and empowerment by offering inner-city neighborhoods a socially conscious education and sharing our research findings on a variety of critical issues.

Services
The Hoop Institute provides customized services to help communities become self-sufficient through:

• Training - We support schools and neighborhood groups in the creation of solutions to local problems.
• Research - We assist public and private agencies in design, collection and interpretation of data that serves to improve their understanding of communitiy issues.
• Teaching - We collaborate with organizations in implementing social service programs designed to address specific needs that are essential to a healthy community life.
• Consulting - We work with public and private organizations in developing holistic action plans that address a variety of internal and external concerns pertinent to diverse communities.
• Publishing - Inner City Press, the publishing arm of the Hoop Institute, publishes, distributes, and sells scholarly work on issues that are critical to disenfranchised communities.