Also in 1997, the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois launched the Hope for the Children Research and Policy Program. It has since developed policy briefings for state and federal legislators, presented programs at conferences around the globe, created working papers on adoption and intergenerational communities, and held a symposium on Eheart's model. It's a phenomenal opportunity for student learning. A future issue for study is the retirement revolution, as the large Baby Boom generation begins to retire. When they come home from the hospital, the community is very supportive.
Neighbors bring food, and everyone helps out.
After five years of volunteering, the volunteer time requirement is reduced. Perhaps after a certain period, the volunteer period will be eliminated altogether, Eheart suggested. The issue is still unfolding. Eheart also faces change on the financial front. With most of the community's children now adopted, public funding for their needs has ended, so the organization has embarked on an endowment campaign.