Anywhere there are forgotten people, whether it is a Douglasville homeless community or Honduras, a group of locals plan to find them. That is the mission of Hike with Hope, said founder Chris Reynolds.

About a year ago, he spoke to his wife and then three friends about his dream to start an organization that would find the forgotten people of the world.

It’s been a dream come true and the search is on.

The group has grown each month from its beginning. Walking around the University of West Georgia campus, students can be seen carrying around large packets of bracelets, prepared to sell at all times.

All the trips and the supplies are paid for with proceeds from the small line of merchandise they developed, including bracelets, T-shirts and badges.

“For every bracelet sold, one is given to a child,” Reynolds said. “If you don’t look at the bracelet every day and think ‘there’s a child I need to think of,’ we’re not doing our job,” he said. “It’s not just an accessory.”

When the new bracelet is given to the child, it is usually the only new thing the child has ever received, Reynolds said.

“We were tired of hearing about people waiting to respond until after something happened, like in Haiti,” he said. They travel to areas with food, water and the gospel.

“We literally hike in with hope, to let these people know someone cares,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said several individuals have started working with Hike with Hope, selling bracelets. Part of the money raised for each bracelet is used to sponsor the individual’s trip while the rest of the funds are used to support Hike with Hope.

In the past few weeks, the group has worked with some local business sponsors to hold events and sell items. Last Friday, the group stood outside The Squire Shop in downtown Carrollton. People entering the store for prom and social clothing and people driving by asked the group why they were there.

“We’ve had great response so far,” Reynolds said.

Hike with Hope was named because the founders enjoyed hiking and the goal was to go places where hiking was required because the area could not be reached by car. The group has been to Honduras once — Reynolds’ first overseas mission trip and the first one he led. Others in the group have traveled around the world.

A second trip, to Delicias, Honduras, occurs at the end of this month. Eleven people are going, thanks to the proceeds from the merchandise sales. Trips to Haiti, Peru and other countries are expected in the future.

The group also works regularly with homeless people in Douglasville, just talking to them to helping them learn to socialize again. Reynolds said it takes an average of $2,000 to get a person back into society and one of the hardest tasks is socialization.

“It may have been years since they had a real conversation with someone,” he said.

April Harris, owner of The Squire shop, worked with the group to develop a T-shirt to support them and her clothing line, Brewer’s Lantern. Five dollars of each T-shirt sold is given to the group.

“We were both trying to start new businesses and it’s important to have someone to talk to about it,” Harris said.

She approves of the group’s mission and wanted to help. The bracelets made and sold by the group are available in her shop, as well as several other local retailers.

Kirk Richeson, a member of Hike with Hope, said everyone in the organization is there because Jesus loves them enough to give them the courage.

“We’re compelled by Christ to go help people,” he said.