The Difference Makers: Hope Services

Empowering People with Disabilities for Over 70 Years

Hope Services is the Bay Area’s leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and mental health needs. With more than seven decades of service, Hope has built a legacy not only as a care provider, but as a movement for inclusion, empowerment, and human rights.

What sets Hope Services apart is its comprehensive, integrated approach to care. From early childhood intervention and behavioral health to employment training and community living, Hope provides person-centered support that spans a lifetime. The organization is also one of the few in California equipped to serve individuals with both developmental disabilities and mental health conditions—a dual diagnosis that often requires highly coordinated, multidisciplinary care.

At the heart of Hope’s work is a powerful belief: that inclusion benefits everyone. Every year, more than 4,000 children and adults across the Bay Area benefit from the organization’s programs. Through partnerships with employers, behavioral health initiatives, early development programs, and community-based engagement, Hope creates pathways for people with disabilities to live full, meaningful lives rooted in choice, dignity, and belonging.

Hope’s story began with parents who refused to accept exclusion—and today, that same spirit fuels the team’s work. The organization continues to break barriers by centering the voices of those they serve and working toward a future where every person is valued, included, and empowered.

Their guiding philosophy?
“Nothing about us without us.”

It’s a reminder that real inclusion means more than access—it means voice, agency, and leadership for people with disabilities in every aspect of society.