Bridge of Hope recently announced that Lila Stoeckle was promoted to become the organization's first chief development officer and Jonathan Matías was hired as the national development director.

Bridge of Hope was founded in Lancaster and Chester counties and has grown to 26 locations in 13 states. The organization has been engaging churches in ending family homelessness for over 30 years.

Stoeckle will lead the development team and will continue to build relationships with the community to further the mission of Bridge of Hope. Stoeckle has fundraising experience and previously held the position of national director of development.

Matías holds a Master in Divinity and served as a pastor in Alexandria, Va., for 11 years. He also has a background in sales and marketing. Originally from Lancaster, Matías has fundraised for nonprofits, churches, and political campaigns.

Bridge of Hope's model is a three-way partnership between the client family, staff members, and neighboring volunteers. In the neighboring component, Bridge of Hope provides a group of six to 10 volunteers who walk alongside a family facing homelessness, offering support and encouragement. Churches that would like more information about how they can become involved may visit http://www.bridgeofhopeinc.org.