Providing hope for Northern Virginia.
That’s the platform for Mrs. Montclair Virginia title winner Amber Budzynski, and the mission of Hope Hill Church in Manassas.
‘HOPE for NOVA’ is the name of a new organization started by Hope Hill Church, that wants to give people an opportunity to serve their community as volunteers and missionaries, versus doing charitable work abroad, according to their website.
“You don’t have to go to a third world country to help out someone. You can do it in your own neighborhood, in your own community, with Hope for NOVA,” said Budzynski.
Over the next 10 years, the organization hopes to establish several HOPE houses and HOPE centers, according to their website.
The HOPE houses would be located in low-income neighborhoods in the area, and offer a food pantry, ESOL class, support group services, and educational services, according to their website.
The HOPE centers would be community centers that offer space for community events, tutoring, and other community-based services, according to their website.
“They want to build community centers to bring tutoring, counseling, and mentoring services for recovering drug addicts, for abused women, for children,” said Budzynski.
For Budzynski, working with HOPE for NOVA is more than just a platform – it’s personal.
“After high school, I went through some times where I struggled to get on my feet. And I myself actually had to go to food banks during my hardest times, and just thinking back on those times made me want to [fight] for programs like this,” said Budzynski.
Budzynski will be competing for the Mrs. Virginia title in April.
