Craig Smith • Derry Member

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month (or close to it), the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In September we’re lifting up the PC (USA)’s Peace & Global Witness Offering, and our local offering recipient, Hope Within Ministries.

Hope Within Ministries is a community health, counseling, and dental center located on Route 230 (Harrisburg Pike) in Elizabethtown. Hope Within’s mission is to share God’s love with people in need through the provision of health care services, dental care, sound counsel and related education.

Their vision is to be a local community in which:

• Physical, spiritual, and emotional needs are met;
• Real hope is prevalent;
• Love for one another abounds; and
• Healthy, wholesome lifestyles are the norm

Hope Within was founded in 2002 to provide primary health care to uninsured, low-income residents of Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon Counties. Through the grace and goodness of God, they are excited to share God’s love by offering excellent and free primary medical and donation-based dental care via the hands of more than 30  volunteer medical and dental providers, therapists, and nurses.  Derry member Larry Espenshade is one of Hope Within’s volunteer medical practitioners.

Hope Within offers healthcare services for medically uninsured low-income residents in Lancaster, Dauphin, or Lebanon Counties whose household income is at 250 percent of the federal poverty level or less.

Derry’s Mission Committee is grateful for the Hope Within staff and volunteers who are providing primary medical care and immunization services to the Syrian refugee family we are sponsoring through Church World Service.  Hope Within has supported many of the refugee families that have relocated in the Harrisburg/Lancaster region.

Hope Within relies on and is immensely grateful for generous support from medical and non-medical volunteers. Volunteer opportunities exist for health care providers, reception/front office services, nursing, help with fundraising and community outreach events, and miscellaneous ministry projects and needs. They would love to hear from you as to ways you would like to get involved.