Dr. Mandela visits Operation New Hope

While Dr. Makaziwe Mandela, eldest daughter of Nelson Mandela, and her daughter Tukwini were visiting Jacksonville for the 1st Nelson Mandela International Day Jacksonville, they stopped by Operation New Hope to learn more about the organization.

The tour made stops in every department where the Mandelas learned about our four-pronged approach (case management, supportive services, job training and job placement assistance).

During a visit to our Intake Office, Chief Operating Office Linda Joseph explains Ready4Work program eligibility requirements.

While meeting with case workers, Founder and CEO Kevin Gay outlines what we as an organization have learned during the past 20 years of providing reentry services.

The highlight of the visit was the Ready4Work Graduation Ceremony. Dr. Mandela addressed the current class of participants and told them, “All of us have beauty and goodness inside. We should not let anything or anybody tell us otherwise.”