Eleven Montgomery County Organizations Launch 14-Month HOPE Collaborative
Eleven Montgomery County organizations have begun a 14-month partnership with hope researcher Dr. Chan Hellman to put the science of hope into daily practice across schools, nonprofits, health care and public agencies.
Photos courtesy of Child Advocates of Montgomery County. Featured image: participants in the 2026 HOPE Summit; additional images: HOPE Navigator and executive leadership training.Eleven Montgomery County organizations have begun a 14-month partnership with hope researcher Dr. Chan Hellman to put the science of hope into daily practice across schools, nonprofits, health care and public agencies.
The Montgomery County HOPE Collaborative brings together 11 organizations that serve children, families and residents across the county. Led by Child Advocates of Montgomery County in partnership with Hellman, the group will spend the next 14 months training leaders and staff to make hope a practical part of how their organizations work.
The initiative launched during the first week of November with leadership and staff training, followed by the 2026 HOPE Summit on Nov. 5 at Margaritaville Lake Resort. Child Advocates said the summit drew about 170 professionals, educators, nonprofit leaders, health care providers, volunteer advocates and community members.
What organizers mean by "the science of hope"
In this work, hope is treated as more than optimism. Hellman's research describes it through three connected ideas: having a goal, identifying workable paths toward it and maintaining the will to keep moving when obstacles appear.
Hellman directs the Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma and co-authored Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life. Organizers say the framework can be taught, measured and strengthened, making it useful for organizations that help people navigate trauma, adversity and major life challenges.
"Building a hope-centered Montgomery County requires courage, collaboration and a belief that better outcomes are possible for every resident." — Ann Marie Ronsman, president and CEO of Child Advocates of Montgomery County
The 11 participating organizations
The inaugural collaborative includes:
Child Advocates of Montgomery County
Angel Reach
Conroe ISD
Interfaith of The Woodlands
Junior League of The Woodlands
Meals on Wheels Montgomery County
Montgomery County District Attorney's Office
Montgomery County Juvenile Detention
Mosaics of Mercy
New Caney ISD
Yes to Youth: Montgomery County Youth Services
The work began Nov. 2 with a six-hour executive leadership session in which two representatives from each organization developed a shared vision for using hope as a core value. On Nov. 3 and 4, at least two staff members from every participating organization completed 12 hours of Hope Navigator training and became internal leaders for the rollout.
Hellman and Dr. Angela Pharris led the three days of training. Pharris is an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma, director of the Child Welfare Impact Institute and a senior researcher at the Hope Research Center.
What happens next
The collaborative will continue through 2027 with staff awareness training, a Hope Navigator Community of Practice and quarterly consulting sessions with Hellman.
Staff members will have access to live virtual awareness sessions. Each organization's two Hope Navigators will also meet with peers from the other participating groups during six facilitated sessions, creating a space to work through implementation challenges together. Four additional group-consulting sessions with Hellman are planned for 2027.
The Nov. 5 summit widened the conversation beyond the 11 organizations. Sessions covered protective factors for children, support for families facing adversity and ways to lead broader change across systems. Speakers also connected hope research with Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed approach for caring for children who have experienced trauma or adversity.
For more information about Child Advocates of Montgomery County and its programs, visit ChildAdvocatesTexas.org.
Photos courtesy of Child Advocates of Montgomery County. Featured image: participants in the 2026 HOPE Summit; additional images: HOPE Navigator and executive leadership training.
