A note from HOPE President, Kris Kvols

"We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them..."
-William Arthur Ward


The above quote was printed at the bottom of an e-mail message from a colleague.  I find it fitting for the situation and for myself.

On the evening of June 30, I listened to stone throwing rhetoric spouted by both sides when negotiations failed and shutdown moved from “looming” to “reality”.  I spent much of June complaining - about politics in general, what I perceive as a lack of regard for the impact on people we serve, and HOPE Coalition’s limited ability to serve clients during a shutdown. Last week I stumbled my way through the actual financial consequences of the shutdown and suggest courses of action for HOPE Coalition’s Executive Committee to consider.  For the remainder of July, with Board guidance, HOPE Coalition will climb over shutdown obstacles and guide our clients in doing the same. And, together with programs across the state, coalitions such as the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless will move from strategizing how to survive a shutdown to building new models for client advocacy, public awareness, and service provision during the shutdown and after budget cuts have been passed.

My sincere hope is that our Legislature and Governor will also find ways to move from throwing and stumbling on stones to building the state’s future with them.  If you have not already done so, please contact your legislators and the governor to encourage compromise that will allow Minnesotans to rebuild from the damaging effects of the shutdown.

Sincerely,
Kris Kvols
HOPE Coalition President