Our History

1984: Humble Beginnings

1984: Humble Beginnings

1984: The Foundation of Hope was formed by Thad and Alice Eure after their son, Thad, was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder in 1975. The Eures experienced firsthand the plight of the mentally ill and the lack of information and treatment surrounding mental illness. They quickly realized that advances in scientific research were critically important to understanding the causes of, and potential cures for, mental illness.

1985: First Grant Given

1985: First Grant Given

The first grant was given to Dorothea Dix Hospital Clinical Research Unit for $10,000.

1988: Death of Thad Eure, Jr.

1988: Death of Thad Eure, Jr.

After the death Thad Eure, Jr., the employees of the Angus Barn and all his restaurants were affected so deeply that they wanted to honor his legacy somehow. As they sat around the employee break room at the Angus Barn, the idea of a walk was born. Soon a committee of employees from the Eure’s restaurants – the Angus Barn, Fat Daddy’s and 42nd Street Oyster Bar – was formed. Once people heard about the Walk, they wanted to volunteer to help.

1989: The First Walk

1989: The First Walk

The first Walk, called the Thad Eure Jr. Walk for Hope, began with approximately 200 participants earning about $20,000. The walk stretched 12 miles, beginning at the Angus Barn Restaurant and finishing at the 42nd Street Oyster Bar in downtown Raleigh. Many people helped coordinate the first Walk for Hope, and little did they know how much it would do to enhance and enlighten the Triangle community’s understanding of mental illness.

1990: Van Eure Becomes Chair of The Walk for Hope

1990: Van Eure Becomes Chair of The Walk for Hope

That same year, the Foundation surpassed the half-million-dollar mark of grants. Van remains the chair today.

1991: First Executive Director Hired

1991: First Executive Director Hired

Before this point, the Foundation of Hope was run by the Board and volunteers.

1992: First Evening of Hope Gala

1992: First Evening of Hope Gala

The first fundraising gala for the Foundation took place at the home of Alice Eure. 750 invitations were delivered in person. After opening a purple ribbon box, each recipient found a jeweled hand-painted egg, and inside the egg, the invitation. 380 guests at $150 each were treated to the swankiest event Raleigh had seen in years.

1996: NC Neurosciences Hospital opened

1996: NC Neurosciences Hospital opened

The new Neurosciences Hospital at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill opened. The Foundation surpassed $870,000 in grants given.

1997: Walk for Hope Renamed

1997: Walk for Hope Renamed

Alice Eure received the Distinguished Service Award from the School of Medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill for her lifelong contributions to the University and its medical school. After her death later that year, the Walk was renamed and is now known as the Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope.

1998: Shelley Eure Belk Joins Board

1998: Shelley Eure Belk Joins Board

Shelley Eure Belk joined the Board of the Foundation of Hope as Alice Eure’s successor.

2000: Endowed Distinguished Professorship Created

2000: Endowed Distinguished Professorship Created

The Foundation of Hope established the endowed Thad and Alice Eure Distinguished Research Professorship at UNC-Chapel Hill to ensure continued improvements to the treatments for mental illness for years to come. It was awarded in 2008 to John Gilmore, MD, a renowned clinician and researcher in the field of schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

2004 – 2017: Bike for Hope

2004 – 2017: Bike for Hope

The George Thanhauser Bike for Hope was started as a bike and hike for friends and family to honor the memory of George Thanhauser who lost his battle with cancer. George was an avid biker and strong supporter of the Foundation of Hope. This event grew to nearly 300 bikers annually and raised over $200,000 dollars for the Foundation of Hope in its thirteen years.

2005: Grant Awards Pass $2.2 Million

2005: Grant Awards Pass $2.2 Million

The Foundation of Hope surpassed $2.2 million in grants awarded to seed research projects at UNC-Chapel Hill and multiple community mental health initiatives.

2007: Women’s Mood Disorders Clinic Opens

2007: Women’s Mood Disorders Clinic Opens

The new UNC Women’s Mood Disorder Clinic opened, directed by Dr. David R. Rubinow, M.D., Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and an internationally known expert in the evaluation and treatment of women with mood disorders. This unique clinic specializes in women’s mood disorders, offering women in North Carolina hope for what can otherwise be a long and lonely struggle.

2009: Evening of Hope Gala Reinvigorated

2009: Evening of Hope Gala Reinvigorated

The Evening of Hope event was re-created and held at the Angus Barn Pavilion. The first event had 130 guests – just 13 tables.

2012: Over $3.6 Million in Grants Awarded

2012: Over $3.6 Million in Grants Awarded

The Foundation of Hope surpassed $3.6 million in grants.

2014: New Office Space

2014: New Office Space

The cozy one-room office of the Foundation of Hope on the Angus Barn’s property adjacent to the laundry room could no longer hold the growing Foundation staff. The office moved two miles down the road into the Brownleigh Business Park and expanded to four full-time and two part-time employees.

2016: $1 Million in Revenue

2016: $1 Million in Revenue

Foundation of Hope surpassed $1 million in fundraising for the first time.

2018: New Logos

2018: New Logos

Foundation of Hope undergoes an organizational-wide rebrand (Walk for Hope undergoes a rebrand a few months later).

2019: Leveraged Dollars Pass $155 Million

2019: Leveraged Dollars Pass $155 Million

To date, the Foundation of Hope has awarded 147 scientific research grants totaling more than $6.1 million. These funds have leveraged an additional $155 million from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies.

2020: Inaugural Drive-Thru for Hope

2020: Inaugural Drive-Thru for Hope

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation of Hope held its first DRIVE-THRU Walk for Hope, which enabled participants to experience the heart and soul of the traditional event while maintaining safety and social distancing protocols.

2021: New Impact Program Launched

2021: New Impact Program Launched

The Foundation of Hope launched its Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program (CHAAMP) at UNC with a $1 million initial impact gift. This state-of-the-art research program will improve the lives of kids and teens in our community and beyond.

2022: FOH Exceeds $3.2 Million in Revenue

2022: FOH Exceeds $3.2 Million in Revenue

The 34th Annual Walk for Hope marked the return to an in-person event and surpassed all previous attendance and fundraising levels, with 3,200 Walkers raising over $790,000! Three Gala events – two Evening of Hopes and one Igniting Hope – also contributed to a record-breaking year of over $3.2 million in revenue.

2023: $5 Million Campaign for CHAAMP Created

2023: $5 Million Campaign for CHAAMP Created

The Foundation of Hope created the Campaign for CHAAMP, a total $5 million capital campaign dedicated to funding research and growing the research team of the CHAAMP program for kids and teens with anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. By the end of the year, over $3.7 million was raised/pledged by supporters.

2024: 40th Anniversary of FOH

2024: 40th Anniversary of FOH

Over the hill! The Foundation of Hope celebrates its 40th birthday year with plans to make the next 40 just as special as the first 40 by funding even more research, mental health initiatives, and CHAAMP initiatives than ever.