Enrich the lives of individuals with a range of physical and developmental abilities to experience a full life.
A community where all people can reach their full potential in supportive and caring environments.
Our Core Values are principles and beliefs that guide our actions and relationships with our stakeholders. Hopewell is guided by the following five core values:
Transparency – We value clear, honest and open communication at all levels of the organization.
Innovation – We value and encourage thoughtful, creative and inspirational ideas that contribute to organizational transformation.
Excellence – We value a never-ending quest for continuous improvement in all aspects of our work.
Person-Centred – We value a person-centred approach to support which enables a person to build and keep control over their life.
Accountability – We value quality, professionalism and responsibility in all our endeavours
Who We Are: Building a Life Full of Possibilities
For over 40 years, Hopewell has been an integral part of theGuelph-Wellington community, supporting individuals with disabilities toexperience a fulfilling life. Our tagline: fulfillinglife. Together, captures our commitment to creating lives full of choice,opportunity, and meaningful experiences through collaborative, person-centredsupport.Our logo reflects who we are: a community built onconnection, positivity, and hope.
The sheep symbolizes home, a safe space, and optimism. At the heart of our logo, the circle represents the individual, reminding us that every person is at the centre of what we do.
Each colour tells part of our story: Yellow represents individuals.Blue represents parents and guardians.Orange represents staff and community partners.Purple represents donors.Together, these pieces illustrate how it takes a whole community to create a fulfilling life.
At Hopewell, we know that supporting people with developmental disabilities isa shared journey — and we’re proud to walk it together.
Our Story: How Hope Became Hopewell
Hopewell Support Services began in 1983 when John and Joanne Oosterhuis opened their hearts and their farmhouse in Ariss, Ontario, to children living with physical and developmental disabilities.
Starting with four foster children, they created a home where every individual could experience daily moments of choice, opportunity, and joy.As more families sought this supportive environment, the Oosterhuis family hired staff and welcomed more children, many with significant medical and physical needs. Their dream was simple and powerful: to offer a place where everyone could live fully and meaningfully.In 1984, Hopewell became a licensed group home. By 1990, it was incorporated and registered as a charity.
In the late 1990s, in response to a call from the Ontario government, Hopewell expanded to build an 8-bed home for adults transitioning from institutions into the community, marking the beginning of a deeper commitment to community-basedservices.Since then, Hopewell has continued to grow thoughtfully,adding respite services for children and adults and launching recreational day programs to enrich lives even further.Today, Hopewell Support Services supports 34 individuals full-time across seven homes in the Guelph-Wellington area. Our team, now more than 170 employees strong, continues to carry forward the Oosterhuis family's inspiring legacy: creating warm, welcoming spaces where people are known personally, supported to live fully, and celebrated for who they are.Every day at Hopewell is filled with possibilities: A fulfilling life, together.
