Hope Chest for Breast Cancer

About Us

The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer is a social entrepreneur. We provide support to underserved women touched by breast cancer through the sale of upscale furniture, decorative accessories, and designer women's clothing that is donated to our retail stores. Put yourself in the shoes of a single mom, working two jobs to support her family and hearing those words "you have breast cancer!" You manage somehow to have your surgery and start your chemotherapy. And the second shoe falls: you cannot work because the chemo is making you too sick to even stand up. You use up what little savings you have and the rent is due and the electricity is going to be turned off. This is where the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer programs come in. We help you though this emergency situation by paying your rent and your electric bill so you can concentrate on taking care of your health.

Since the first Hope Chest store opened in 2003, we have funded over a half million dollars worth of breast cancer related projects in the Twin Cities. Examples of these include providing financial support to working-poor women who are in treatment for breast cancer and cannot work. Our funds will pay for rent, utilities, food, and transportation to treatment, etc. We have worked with the University of Minnesota Breast Cancer Center to develop programs to educate underserved women in the importance of early detection. Many of these programs targeted our immigrant population and are both language-specific and culturally appropriate. Last summer we opened the Hope Chest Breast Center® of North Memorial Hospital. North Memorial provides service to the north Minneapolis area and now has a breast center available to provide compassionate breast health care. We are funding a delivered meals program that provides healthy food, while being sensitive to strong odors and tastes that make it difficult, if not impossible, for underserved women with breast cancer to meet their nutritional needs. We also will pay co-pays for early detection mammograms to those who cannot afford to pay.

Why We Need a New Website

Our ambitious goal of providing $10,000,000 each year to support breast cancer causes cannot come close to reality without a new website. A new website is mandatory for the Hope Chest to move to the next step in funds generation that will allow us manage and communicate with all of our stake holders. There are several different stakeholders involved in the success of Hope Chest business and who will be utilizing the website:
1. Foundation: the not for profit foundation is located in the Twin Cities and is the governing board for the organization
2. Underserved women, who have been touched by breast cancer and are in need of the kind of assistance the Hope Chest provides. This also includes their caregivers and the nurse navigators and social workers that support them
3. Local advisory boards: each community that has a Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Retail store will also have an advisory board to direct the disbursements of funds in that community and to raise additional funds
4. Franchisor: the franchising arm also resides in the Twin Cities and is responsible for the process of franchising and the management of the existing stores
5. Franchisees/storeowners: the people who open stores and manage them across the country

Current situation: Our existing website is cumbersome to use and is not intuitive. It requires a programmer to make any changes to it. We do not have any IT experts on staff and must go to an outside provider even to change a simple price of a ticket. Except for our company branding, we do not like anything about the current site. We have a limited (almost nonexistent) and archaic e-commerce capability.

General Web Needs
1.Hope Chest Branding is good; do not wish to change this (our pro bono advertising company can provide templates)
2. Professional site design that reflects Hope Chest’s brand and message
3. An application that allows us to create and update web content without needing to know any programming languages.
Need to separate content from the layout. Users creating content will not have to think about layout or design.
4. Option to select various types of layout templates with flexibility.
5. Need to enter content and edit it and have it appear on our web site with the same “look and feel” as the rest of the site.
6. System web-based so it can be done from home or office
7. A scalable Web platform to serve as a solid foundation for future growth; flexibility to add capabilities as we become aware of them
8. Intuitive site navigation that’s easy to use and keeps visitors on our site; simplicity of use
9. Ecommerce implementation for merchandise and event ticket purchases and donations; credit card processing and approval; apply credit card fees and sales revenue to a specific location, store or function
10. Capture email addresses when people come to the site
11. Website optimization to bring the Hope Chest and individual items for sale to the forefront

We realize that our wish list may be more than can be accomplished in a 24 hour period; however we think it is important for the technical experts who will be working with us to see that we have a good, conceptual understanding of what is needed with our new website to move us to the next stage in our business.

Stakeholders and what they need from the website
1. Hope Chest for Breast Cancer generic
A. Business model
B. Who we are
C. How we help (generic description)
D. Who we help (generic description)
2. Foundation/advisory board by location
A. Who we are (repeat from # 1)
B. How we help (repeat from # 1)
C. Who we help (repeat from # 1)
D. Members by location
E. Staff bios and contact info
F. Grant process by location
1. Criteria
2. How to apply
3. On line application
4. Recipients by year
G. Present current cause related projects by location
1. What they are
2. Link to their sites
3. Pictures
4. Inspirational stories/testimonials
5. Thank you letters and notes
H. Foundation volunteer opportunities by location
1. Types of opportunities
2. Register on line
3. Chat room for volunteers
4. Online scheduling for volunteers
I. Hope Chest Honorees: donate in memory or in honor of someone
J. Major donors and sponsors: list and link to their sites by location
K. How to donate; how to become a corporate sponsor
L. Events (fund raising and promotions) by locations
1. Current events
a. Description
b. Registration online; purchase tickets on line and track them
c. Acknowledgement
2. Past Events
a. Description
b. Success/results
M. How to volunteer for events or projects
N. Group chat room by location
O. Group chat room amongst all Advisory boards
3. Underserved women touched by breast cancer and their support team who need the type of support that we provide.
A. Description of support
B. Qualifications
C. How to apply
4. Individual Stores/franchisees: each site with similar pages but location specific information
A. Locations (ability to click on a map to find locations); map quest capability by location
B. Home page for each location
1. Staff bios and contact information
C. Services provided
D. Directions, hours, etc.
E. Events
1. Upcoming events
a. Description
b. Purchase tickets on line and track them; apply appropriate sales tax depending on location
c. Acknowledgement
2. Past Events
F. How you can help
1. Host an event at the stores
2. Host an event at your home
3. Host an event at your business
G. Media
1. Current press releases
2. Past press releases
3. Media kit
a. About Founder
b. Fact Sheet
c. About the store
4. Link to video cuts of interviews
H. Subscribe to email list/newsletter list
I. Special items for sale
1. Shopping cart that allows stores to put items for sale on the internet
2. Upload and caption images
3. Pictures
4. Descriptions and prices
5. Ability to request more information
6. Ability to purchase on line
7. Ability to apply appropriate sales tax depending on location
8. Ability to calculate shipping and total cost
9. Auto response on purchases
J. Volunteer opportunities
1. Describe opportunities
2. How to sign up
3. Auto response
K. How to donate items
1. Description of items we take
2. Request a pick up
a. Auto response
b. Reschedule a pickup
L. Our plan is to sell merchandise on EBay now and to potentially move to a store on our site; need a way to link back and forth
5. Franchisor
A Home page
B. Communication with potential franchisees
1. Marketing: Why, what, who, how
2. Where we are looking for franchises
3. Request a conversation
4. Automatic response: Thank you for your interest….
5. Online application
6. Secure place to send applicants (often one time access) to get confidential documents
C. Communicate with existing franchisees
1. Secure site
2. Franchisees as a group
a. Chat room
b. Special events for franchisees
c. New programs announcement
d. Marketing material
1. Print on demand
2. Order
e. Merchandise sharing
3. Individual franchisees
a. Send monthly reports
b. Communicate confidential information

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Messages From Supporters

When the judges choose which non-profits will be selected to participate in this year's F1 Challenge they will take into account testimonials from beneficiaries, donors, volunteers, board members and other

Working with the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer is such a special experience. The Hope Chest has a wonderful connotation with its name and that is directly related to the people that are involved with it. From the Founder to the volunteers, people are brought together to make a difference in their community and to help those experiencing breast cancer. I smile when thinking of my work at the Hope Chest and the affects it has had on others in need. The greatest part to me, that separates the Hope Chest from other organizations, is the fact that at the Hope Chest ANYONE can help in a number of different ways. One can volunteer their time or expertise. One can shop at the stores and walk away with a unique treasure… relishing in the fact that a portion of their payment for that treasure will support breast cancer causes. And one can donate upscale merchandise that when sold raises critical funds and at the same time recycles items that might have otherwise gone to waste. A person can really help in big or small scales…but help none the less. There is always an opportunity to become involved and feel good about it. I look forward to being a part of this organization on the rise and see the miracles that seem to happen around it almost every day.

Korie Regan: previous Marketing Manager for Foundation, current volunteer

I first learned of the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer when I made a donation in their retail store. I appreciated knowing my donated items would not only benefit another person, but also create funds that would benefit women with breast cancer. The Hope Chest is unique in our community because there are multiple ways to be supportive of this cause, such as: volunteering, attending one of the Hope Chest fundraising events (which are great fun!), donating and purchasing items in the retail store, or doubling my donation utilizing the my employer's matching gift program.

M. Maloney, Donor, Volunteer

"You make a difference" is an overused phrase when organizations ask for your financial or volunteer support. On an intellectual level, you think you should help, so you write your check, but don't give it much thought. It was a mere transaction. Supporting The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer grabs your attention and keeps it in a way that is far more personal and rewarding. The Hope Chest is successful in the Twin Cities because they are so good at connecting women who know, who feel and who are certain that together, we are taking actions, big and small, that make a very significant difference in the life of someone who could be our sister, our mother, our aunt, our daughter. Yet, The Hope Chest has a very positive, impactful, and hopeful message. They exude joy, commitment, and a feel-good attitude that reaches out to let you know that you----yes, YOU, did a good thing when you volunteered, or shopped, or donated, or attended an event, or donated money, or.....so many ways to make a difference. Their joyful-noise events are living proof that you can help others and have lots of fun while doing it ---who doesn't want to come back for more of that? I volunteer because The Hope Chest lets me know that what we do is valued and it is needed to make a vital difference in the life of another woman. The Hope Chest is a very special place.

Lissa Weimelt, Volunteer, Co-Chair for the Galas Silent and Live Auctions

I have had the privilege of serving on many charitable boards over the years, and never have I seen an organization with more heart accomplish more results while operating on such a shoestring. Hope Chest is just beginning to hit stride, yet has accomplished so much in its short history. Having assistance in creating an innovative website would be a huge assist in our overall mission of recreating all of our marketing tools. Thank you for your consideration.

MaryAnne London, Board Member

I have been an enthusiastic volunteer, supporter and cheerleader for this wonderful organization. I intially became involved because my mom died of breast cancer over 23 years ago and I wanted to "do something" to erradicate this awful disease. The more I became involved in The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, the more I realized the difference that just one person could make in the life of another. Through increased awareness of this awesome organization - with a new and improved website - just think of the increased amount of women who could be helped - just through the generosity of "millions of ones".....

Mary Ann Prange, volunteer and donor

Last year the Hope Chest Foundation donated a large sum to North Memorial Hospital to increase the access to care for many underprivileged women. It’s important to me to see the impact of my contributions on a local level. All of the funds raised by the Hope Chest benefit women with breast cancer in our local area.

Dianne Tucker

To Whom It May Concern: It is with great pride that North Memorial Health Care has partnered with the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. In 2007, with major support from the Hope Chest, North Memorial developed the Hope Chest Breast Center of North Memorial. Our partnership with the Hope Chest has enabled us to provide state-of-the-art breast health services for thousands of women in the northwest quadrant of the Twin Cities. Our program also targets underserved populations in our community. Our experience with the Hope Chest has been outstanding. They are a truly deserving organization and a valuable member of our community. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information on the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, the Hope Chest Breast Center of North Memorial and the many lives they have touched as a result of their support. Joseph G Boston Vice President & Chief Development Officer North Memorial Health Care

Joe Boston,beneficiary

I would like the judges to know Barbara Hensley, the founder of The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. It is Barbara’s vision for this foundation not only to help those in need with breast cancer but also to educate under served women in the importance of early detection. I met Barbara three decades ago when our paths were connected by her marriage to my husband’s brother. I later was divorced but have continued to be very much a part of her community. In the early years of our time together, I watched her business sense grow with each new endeavor she started. I watched her tenderly nurture plant cuttings until she had enough to open a small plant business. I watched students totally engaged with her when she taught at the university level. I watched sales figures widely surpass company expectations in her retail stores. I watched employees voluntarily stay until midnight to meet deadlines due to her leadership. I watched her give 100% to all employment situations. After the death of her mother and two sisters, I watched all these experiences contribute to the founding of The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer. To know Barbara is to know and experience enthusiasm and hope. It isn’t just the money the foundation donates; it’s the compassion, empathy and hopefulness that Barbara gives each person with whom she meets. I’ve been privileged to hear her speak. Her words connect to the hearts and souls of her audience. Her enthusiasm is contagious. There are few persons today that have not been directly involved with breast cancer. This foundation has potential to make an extraordinary difference in the lives of everyday people today and in the future. It is vital that The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer message be easily understood and accessible with the latest technology resources. Please consider The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer for your most generous gift of a new website.

Anne Hensley, volunteer

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Hope Chest for Breast Cancer
3850 Shoreline Drive
Orono/Navarre, MN 55391

Our Mission

The Hope Chest for Breast Cancer® raises funds to provide support to underserved women touched by breast cancer through the sale of very upscale furniture, decorative accessories and designer women’s clothing. All of the merchandise is donated from retailers, manufacturers, designers or individuals and is sold through a chain of company owned and franchised retail stores. The internal mantra for the business is: “2 50 5 10”. Which translates to: two company owned stores, fifty franchised stores in the next five years and once they are operational contributing $10 million each year to breast cancer causes.