“With the support of our local and national partners, we will put thousands of children on the path to college and contribute to efforts to help Milwaukee build and maintain a viable workforce and a sustainable economy,” said Dr. Andrew Neumann, president, HOPE Christian Schools. “Organizations like Siebert, Elizabeth Brinn and PAVE have set a remarkable example, and we hope other Milwaukee leaders will join us during this exciting time in HOPE’s history.

HOPE’s schools serve some of the most impoverished students in the central city. In the Harambee neighborhood, at least 44 percent of residents have not earned a high school diploma, 38.4 percent are families in poverty and 43.7 percent are younger than 19, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures.

HOPE’s new campus will help administrators significantly expand capacity and keep pace with the demands of parents who are seeking high-quality education options. The plan is to increase enrollment at the school from about 70 to 250 students within five years, adding grades K4, K5, 1st and 2nd this coming school year.

“PAVE is honored to invest in HOPE Christian Schools as they have grown to be an outstanding educational leader in Milwaukee and one of the city’s great success stories,” said Dan McKinley, PAVE’s President.

PAVE is a Community Development Financial Institution, which provides loans, investments, and financial and technical assistance to underserved populations and educational communities.

“HOPE is a perfect example of why PAVE became a Community Development Financial Institution in 2001,” McKinley added. “Thanks to an extraordinary investment by the Bradley Foundation, PAVE has developed a sustainable revolving loan fund that currently has over $10 million working to expand excellent educational opportunities in Milwaukee.”

“PAVE has been very helpful to HOPE ever since our first school opened in 2002,” Neumann said. “And PAVE continues to be an important part of our future.”

HOPE Christian Schools is a network of college-preparatory schools in Milwaukee’s central city. HOPE opened its first school in 2002 with about 50 students. Today, HOPE serves more than 500 students and their families at a high school, a grade school (K-8) and a third school that is expanding from a middle school (5-8) to a K-8 school. HOPE schools exist to provide a high-quality, Christian education in a safe, supportive environment. HOPE strives to make teaching and learning exciting and to graduate students who are well prepared to become inspirations to their families, leaders in their communities and successes in the workplace. For more information, please visit www.thehopeschools.org.