A Very Special Father’s Day Celebration – InsideOut Dad Graduation
Just in time for Father’s Day, Operation New Hope’s Case Manager Ronnie Cage graduated two groups of fathers at Baker Reentry Center and Baker Correctional Institution who successfully completed the InsideOut Dad program. Cage stated, “This was great group of dads who are working hard to become even better fathers for their children. This program […]
Second Chance Supporter – Beaches Recovery
At Operation New Hope, we believe that we are all better than our worst mistake, worst day, or worst decision. We believe in people’s ability to learn from their errors and transform their lives through commitment and hard work. For over 20 years, we have worked to build a stronger community by creating opportunities for […]
Voices of Hope – Nadieal A.
I saw my father shoot and kill my mother when I was 8 years old. She died in my arms. I ended up pregnant at 16 and had a baby and was arrested at 17. I was sentenced to life in prison before becoming an adult. Certain experiences mark and change you for life. Prison […]
Voices of Hope – Reba O.
Before coming to Operation New Hope, I was in a really low place mentally and emotionally. I wasn’t dealing with things that were going on in my life in a productive manner, so instead I really had just given up. I stopped caring and that led me to decisions that landed me in jail. Even […]
Second Chance Supporter – Diesel Barbershop
We are thrilled to spotlight another one of our outstanding Employment Partners – Diesel Barbershop – for being a Second Chance Supporter. Our Employment Services Coordinator Steven Ingram sat down with Mike Baker at the Bartram Market location to talk about why he supports second chance hiring and here’s what he said: So, Mike tell […]
National Correctional Officers Week – Spotlight on Senior Classification Officer Engel
Operation New Hope has partnered with the Florida Department of Corrections for many years to deliver our Ready4Release and Ready4Work reentry programs. We are so thankful for their support of our mission to reconnect people with their communities, families, and the workforce. To show our thanks, we would like to showcase the work and talents […]
Correctional Officer Appreciation Week – Thanks to our partners at Gadsden Correctional Facility
National Correctional Officers Week is recognized in the first full week of May. As a way of saying thanks to some of our great partners in corrections, we would like to showcase the work and talents of some of its best employees during National Correctional Officers Week. We are thankful to the entire team at […]
Kevin Gay to Serve on Citizens Advisory Committee of the Florida Bar
We are pleased to announce that Operation New Hope’s Founder and CEO Kevin Gay has been appointed to serve as a member of The Florida Bar Citizens Advisory Committee for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2024. The Florida Bar Citizens Advisory Committee is an advisory group of 12 citizens […]
Second Chance Supporter – Hope Enterprises dba The Original Granite Bracket
We continue to celebrate Second Chance Month this April by spotlighting our local Employment Partners who support second chances by hiring our Ready4Work graduates. We had the opportunity to visit Hope Enterprises dba The Original Granite Bracket and sit down with Roger Kaman, the National Accounts Manager, to learn why he is a Second Chance […]
Voices of Hope – Johnathan N.
After incarceration it’s very difficult to try and reenter society. When you get out of jail, try to reintegrate, and do things on your own, you get so disheartened. You get this sense of not being able to do it because it feels like the world is against you. It was even more difficult for […]
Voices of Hope – Shelby M.
I’m from Gulf Shores, Alabama and I’ve been working in the service industry since I was old enough to work. I started bartending at 21, and it was a lot of fun, but I got into a lot of trouble. When a friend came to visit me and saw the life I was living, she […]
Voices of Hope – Jeremy S.
After years of struggling with drug addiction and unemployment, I was finally ready to make a change in my life. While serving time at Baker Correctional Institution, I heard about Operation New Hope’s Ready4Work program, so I decided to enroll at their St. Augustine location when I got out. The Ready4Work program helped me so […]
Voices of Hope – Caleb G.
My mom and dad partied a lot when I was growing up, and I didn’t know any different. I just thought that’s how you lived. As a teenager, I started taking pills that led to harder and harder stuff, and I ended up a junkie. I was homeless and in and out of jail. I […]
Voices of Hope – Michael J.
I was at the Columbia Work Camp serving my 6th year in prison when I hear about Operation New Hope. I wrote to get more information and was accepted into the Ready4Release program. It was such a relief to know that my housing was arranged prior to my release, so I knew I had somewhere […]
Second Chance Supporter – Council on Aging
In the United States, one in three adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other opportunities necessary for a productive life. Even after they have completed their sentences and have been released from prison, these men and women face more than 48,000 documented legal restrictions in addition to widespread […]
Voices of Hope – Kory L.
When I was release from jail, I was staying at St. Francis homeless shelter in St. Augustine. I didn’t know what I was going to do or how I was going to do it. I don’t have an education and my rap sheet isn’t the best, so I knew I needed to do something. But […]