When Melissa first connected with Operation New Hope more than a decade ago, she was looking for great employees. As a hiring manager at a Jacksonville construction company, she faced the same challenge many employers do — finding dependable, skilled team members who would show up, work hard, and grow with the company.
At the time, Melissa was meeting individuals struggling with homelessness, addiction, and reentry after incarceration. Having experienced the impact of incarceration within her own family, she deeply understood how it affects loved ones, but as an employer, she often felt unsure how to truly help.
That changed when she met Operation New Hope.
“Until I met Operation New Hope, I was losing faith in the process,” Melissa recalled. “But they restored that faith by showing what real second chances look like.”
Through Operation New Hope’s Ready4Work program, Melissa began hiring graduates who were rebuilding their lives after incarceration — and she quickly noticed a difference.
“The employees we hired from Ready4Work weren’t just qualified — they were motivated, loyal, and eager to succeed,” she said. “They brought so much value to our team.”
With the support of Operation New Hope’s staff, Melissa learned how to help employees navigate challenges that could arise on the job. Rather than letting someone go when issues occurred, a Job Coach would step in to provide guidance and equip the employee with tools for success. This hands-on collaboration helped participants maintain employment and thrive, while giving Melissa’s company the reliable workforce it needed.
Melissa became a strong believer in second chance hiring, seeing firsthand how it benefits both employees and employers. The results spoke for themselves; her company saw a 30% increase in repeat requests for Ready4Work employees, improved punctuality, fewer workplace accidents, and access to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) during a tough economic period. Most importantly, she saw lives transformed for employees, their families, and the business itself.
“Employers stopped referring to us as just a day labor service,” Melissa said. “They began to see us as a full-fledged staffing agency with people who were capable, consistent, and committed.”
Years later, Melissa’s journey came full circle when she joined Operation New Hope as our Workforce Development Coordinator.
Now, she helps other employers experience the same benefits she once did. Instead of hiring Ready4Work graduates, she helps prepare them to enter the workforce. Melissa connects clients with meaningful jobs and equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in living-wage careers.
Her unique background means she knows exactly what employers are looking for, and how to match them with the right candidates. Her role bridges two worlds: she works closely with both employers and participants. For clients, she helps develop individualized career plans, strengthen interview skills, and identify industries where they can thrive. For employers, she serves as a trusted partner, helping them access WOTC and Federal Bonding programs, find qualified candidates, and create supportive workplaces that reduce turnover and increase retention.
“When companies partner with us, they aren’t just hiring someone who’s ready to work,” Melissa said. “They’re helping break cycles of poverty and incarceration. It’s the best business decision you can make for your company and your community.”
Melissa’s experiences, both as an employer and as a staff member, have made her a passionate advocate for second chance hiring.
“Second chance hiring isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s smart economics,” she explained. “These are people who are motivated to rebuild their lives. They bring loyalty, commitment, and fresh perspectives to the workplace.”
She’s witnessed countless success stories, including one Ready4Work graduate who started in construction, completed an apprenticeship, earned a journeyman license, purchased a home, regained custody of their children, and now earns over $38 an hour.
“That’s what this program does,” Melissa said. “It helps people rebuild their lives, and helps employers gain some of their most dependable, driven employees.”
Today, Melissa continues to champion second chance hiring across Florida. She educates employers, shares her story, and reminds them that when they hire someone from Ready4Work, they gain an employee backed by a dedicated support team.
“Our staff work alongside both the employer and the participant to address challenges quickly, so the employer isn’t left on their own,” Melissa said. “That combination of motivation, structure, and support is what makes second chance hiring work.”
Her hope for the future is that second chance hiring becomes the norm — not the exception. “I envision a future where reentry programs are embraced as a standard part of workforce development,” she said. “When we focus less on punishment and more on reintegration, we all benefit. That’s how we build safer, stronger, and more prosperous communities.”
Join Melissa and hundreds of other business leaders in making an impact through second chance hiring.
