On December 12, 2025 at Lincoln South Rotary Club, we heard from Juan Carlos Huertas on the topic of Hope House - First-Plymouth initiative to get neighbors connected to services and resources
Leaders at the First-Plymouth Church realized a couple of years ago that community members struggle to find where to go for the resources that they need.
From that came the development of Hope House designed to provide support, guidance, and practical solutions to those needing to connect with resources.
The Hope House opened in September 2025. It is located near the church at 2045 E Street. Their doors are open on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Anyone can just stop by - appointments are not needed.
Per a story by 10/11 News, the Hope House has partnered with different other organizations such as The Gathering Place, Lincoln Literacy, and CenterPointe. With those partnerships, they can connect community members with food assistance, housing and utility support, healthcare and mental health services, and other resources. Juan reported that they will help members navigate the sometimes difficult system - which may take multiple phone calls and multiple organizations to get the right resources.
From the webpage https://www.firstplymouth.org/hopehouse:
Your neighborhood resource center - a welcoming place for real help, real people, and real hope. We can connect you with:
- - Food assistance
- - Healthcare & mental health services
- - Housing & utility support
- - Job training & employment resources
- - Community programs & benefits
- - Food assistance
- - Healthcare & mental health services
- - Housing & utility support
- - Job training & employment resources
- - Community programs & benefits
BIO
First-Plymouth was not on Huertas’ radar. He wasn’t looking to move to Lincoln, nor had it crossed his mind to move from preaching at a Methodist Church in Louisiana to a United Church of Christ congregation in Nebraska. But God works in mysterious ways, and apparently so does Jim Keck.
Keck heard him preach and realized Huertas could help us write our post-pandemic chapter, striving to be present and involved in creating a more just community. As you probably already understand, Keck can be persuasive. He invited Huertas to be a guest preacher in March.
Once connected with our congregation that day, Huertas felt “it”—“That LOVE thing--You’re a congregation committed to LOVE. This has to be a God thing,” he recalled.
Huertas realized that at First-Plymouth he might have opportunity to do what God has called him to do next in his ministry; “To work as Jesus would have us work to make a difference in our community, to work together for peace and justice.” Inspiration in the pews, then rubber on the road. Exciting stuff. More of who we are. Bigger and bolder.