In 2000, I began volunteering at Royal Family Kids’ Camp through Scottsdale Bible Church. This was a summer camp for foster children from 7-11 years of age. Every year, I had the 11-year-old children asking why they couldn’t come back to camp at 12. I never had a good answer but it seemed liked we could do more. There were enough volunteers and certainly enough foster children to help.
How could we not help these kids as they got older…as they aged out of the system? These were children, no fault of their own placed in the system, who were now faced with becoming future statistics of high school drop-outs, incarcerated and homeless. We actually knew who these children were at 11….we could clearly do more.
I approached a couple churches to do more for these older children. However, I couldn’t spark any interest from Scottsdale Bible Church or Redemption Church Gilbert (formerly East Valley Bible Church).
So, perhaps I was supposed to do something? I didn’t know exactly where this would all lead, but I knew it would all start with a name for the organization.
I always liked Jeremiah 29:11 from the Bible…and wasn’t this a promise for these children too? “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you – plans to give you a Hope and A Future.”
An 11 year old foster child didn’t have to become a future statistic – high school drop out, homeless or incarcerated. God has a hope and a future for them too!
So, that was going to be the name: Hope & A Future.
My mom, just happened to be Arizona Secretary of State in 2004, so I knew I needed to Trade Name the words “Hope & A Future” with the Secretary of State’s Office.
But unfortunately, the name was already reserved. That’s right. The name was already taken by another group. So I researched and learned that although the name was reserved, it had never been incorporated and the Tradename renewal was due in the fall of 2004. So, I patiently waited so see if would be renewed.
The renewal day arrived and it wasn’t renewed! Now the name was open for anyone to claim it. So, I did!
Not knowing where this would all lead – 20 years later – I applied with the Secretary of State’s Office on November 15, 2004 to Tradename the words “Hope And A Future.”
This is the Trade Name Certificate for “Hope and A Future” issued by my mom, Arizona’s Secretary of State, Janice K Brewer. How special is that?
And this is how it all started – 20 years ago!
Michael Brewer
President, Hope & A Future
