Host Jeremy C. Park interviews David Jordan, President and CEO of Agape Child & Family Services, Inc., who highlights the upcoming Memphis Hope Summit 2026 and the nonprofit organization’s mission and efforts to fight poverty and help families flourish through holistic, multi-generational support in Memphis neighborhoods. David explains that Agape Child & Family Services is a 56-year-old nonprofit organization focused on fighting poverty through holistic family support across Shelby County. The organization provides services in multiple areas including education, relationship health, workforce development, and faith-based support across neighborhoods in Frayser, Whitehaven, Hickory Hill, and Raleigh. David emphasizes that their multi-generational approach is crucial because addressing all aspects of family life – including jobs, education, transportation, and childcare – is necessary for families to move from crisis to thriving, rather than focusing on individual issues in isolation.
David explains the science of hope, describing it as a research-based approach led by Dr. Chan Hellman at the University of Oklahoma that focuses on goals, pathways, and agency. He notes that families who implement this approach see significantly higher likelihood of meeting their goals, and mentions that they launched the first Hope Summit last year, which attracted hundreds of participants and focused on opening access to even more organizations across the Mid-South with the intention that Memphis could become a hope-centered city.
David provides a progress update on the operationalization of the science of hope and Hope Summit initiative. Since the first summit in November 2025 with nearly 500 attendees, 35 organizations have adopted the framework, including government bodies, schools, nonprofits, and churches. The second annual Hope Summit will report on the initiative’s progress and movement toward creating a hope-centered culture in Memphis and Shelby County.
David explains the Tennessee Human Flourishing Initiative, a program launched through Governor Lee’s office involving four state departments. The initiative selects three pilot organizations including Church of the City, Knox County Leadership Foundation, and Agape Child & Family Services as the backbone organization for Shelby County. The program uses an electronic platform called Hope Hub to connect hundreds of nonprofits, churches, and government entities to support families across 13 social determinants, with families being assessed monthly on a five-point flourishing scale. David notes that other states using similar models have seen significant improvements, including a 25% reduction in foster care cases in Arkansas.
David outlines several key needs where the community could provide support, including food assistance, utility help, housing support, childcare services, transportation, and mental health services. He emphasizes that organizations with specific gifts or capabilities could help address these gaps, and explained how churches and other entities could use this platform to meet immediate needs while connecting people to longer-term assistance.
David then discusses the second annual Memphis Hope Summit scheduled for November 5th at the Renasant Convention Center from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event, which is free to attend, aims to engage up to 1,000 participants across various sectors including churches, nonprofits, and for-profit companies. The summit will focus on four pathways to hope and flourishing: jobs, education, family dynamics, and faith/social networks, with both mayors planning to speak about their vision for the city and county. Attendees can register and learn more about Agape Child & Family Services through the website AgapeMeansLove.org.
Visit https://agapemeanslove.org/ to learn more about Agape Child & Family Services, Inc. and the 2026 Memphis Hope Summit.
