At 5 a.m., before the city awoke, Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham quietly unlocked the doors to The Clark–Cunningham Hope Center, the nation’s first 100% free medical and recovery facility dedicated entirely to unhoused women and at-risk youth. This 220-bed center is a groundbreaking initiative offering every service free, forever.
The project was kept secret for 18 months while raising over $135 million, funded by Clark, Cunningham, and a diverse group of athletes, business leaders, and anonymous donors united by a shared mission. The first patient, Maria, a 27-year-old former college student who had lived in her car for nearly two years after aging out of foster care, was personally welcomed by Clark and Cunningham.
“This building carries our names because we understand pressure, judgment, and being reduced to numbers,” Clark said. “But here, no one is a stat. No one is invisible. This is the legacy we want — not trophies, not headlines, but lives restored.”
By noon, the line for care stretched six city blocks, filled with mothers, veterans, and youth seeking help. The center quickly became a symbol of hope, inspiring a global social media wave with billions of impressions, yet inside, staff worked quietly, focusing solely on healing. Clark and Cunningham declined interviews, emphasizing that their platform carries a responsibility far greater than sports achievements.
