On June 15, 1970, Health Outreach Partners (HOP), started by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an advocacy group made up of all the service oriented Catholic Nun Religious Orders, began as a small, direct service program working with five local communities along the East Coast. Since its inception, HOP recognized the importance of outreach, and the critical role it plays in increasing access to primary care and facilitating case management, health promotion and disease prevention, and other related social services to communities in need. Through their work in outreach, training, and technical assistance, HOP gradually expanded its client scope beyond health centers; thus, broadening its reach to communities from low-income, vulnerable, and underserved populations throughout the United States. Today, HOP is leading and pioneering community health models across the country that prioritize the health and well-being of the most marginalized members in our communities – the working poor, low income immigrants, migratory populations, homeless, the elderly, and the remaining uninsured, just to name a few. There is still so much work to do, but today is a good day to stop and celebrate the vision that a small group of committed socially conscious individuals set forth 45 years ago!
