Community Partner Highlight: Hope Cottage

Hope Cottage is this week's community spotlight! We had the honor of interviewing one of their foster care outreach specialists to learn more about what their organization does.

1. Your name and title?
   1. Clyde Hemminger – Foster Care Outreach Specialist
2. What is your organization and what does it do?
   1. Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center is the oldest nonprofit, secular adoption agency in Dallas and has been serving North Texas since 1918. Through the years, we’ve compiled an impressive history of personal and compassionate services carried out by a professional, experienced staff and a board committed to community betterment. The Hope Cottage Foster Care Services program serves individual children and sibling sets from 0-17 years of age who have been removed from their biological homes due to abuse and/or neglect. Children are placed with a caring foster family who has been educated about their needs and embrace them into their family through foster care. Families and Hope Cottage staff work together after placement to ensure a smooth transition and that the children receive all necessary services.
3. What is your organization’s mission?
   1. Hope Cottage nurtures and builds families through education, counseling, and adoption services.
4. Why did you choose to work in this field?
   1. I began working with Hope Cottage as a foster parent in the Spring of 2015 and my wife and I adopted our daughter from foster care in the Sumer of 2017. After the adoption, we continued to advocate for the foster care process and the Hope Cottage foster care program. I joined Hope Cottage as a staff member in June of 2020. Before working for Hope Cottage, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood development from Texas Wesleyan University. During college, I worked for the Crowley Independent School District as a substitute teacher. Most recently, I spent ten years as a corporate communications coordinator. I am passionate about teaching people about foster care and showing them how they can help foster children in their community.
5. What led you to work with the Center for Leadership and Service?
   1. I was very active in the community as a college student. Now that I am older, I want to provide opportunities for others to volunteer in ways that can enrich their lives.

6. What would you say to students who want to get involved?
   1. We have plenty of volunteer opportunities for people from all backgrounds and skill levels. Many of our volunteers go on to become interns and employees.