Meet the Member: James Broom, Hope For Tomorrow

James Broom founded the public charity, Hope for Tomorrow, in order to build and raise money for the new Saint Patrick Academy being constructed on Banfield Road in Portsmouth. As president of the Hope for Tomorrow Foundation, Jim is using office space at the Cooperative Venture Workspace as his base of operations.

“It’s a great location, and the conference room setup is very effective for smaller and larger group meetings,” he said.

Saint Patrick Academy replaces the Saint Patrick School on Austin Street, in operation in downtown Portsmouth for almost 150 years. Saint Patrick Academy is no longer a parochial school, but instead is a private Catholic school.

“The idea is to bring management and operational best practices while we deliver education that is fully alive,” Jim said in a Seacoast Online story when construction began in late June.

The charity bought land for the new 28,000 square-foot school from the owners of the nearby Community Campus. Hopes are to double the school’s enrollment from 100 to about 200 when it opens in time for the new academic year in fall 2018 for pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 students. 

Jim founded Hope for Tomorrow and serves as its president. The foundation, in addition to coordinating the construction process, is raising money for scholarships. His children attended Saint Patrick School and he has volunteered there in several capacities over the last 13 years.  Jim and his brother, Christopher, ran Direct Capital in Portsmouth, which provides financial solutions for small to medium sized businesses nationwide including equipment financing and working capital programs.

The business background is an important part of his role at Hope for Tomorrow. “We’re creating an independent school and changing the governance model.  This design allows us to create a more accountable and dynamic approach so the school can better serve families of the seacoast,” he said. “Our goal is to be widely recognized as the best K-8 school in the country.”

The Workspace has a role in that process. “It has a nice, contemporary feel that encourages the creativity and innovation that we’re bringing to the project,” said Jim.