Operation New Hope recipient of special $350,000 grant from The Jim Moran Foundation honoring Jim Moran’s 100th birthday

Jacksonville, Florida (October 5, 2018) – The Jim Moran Foundation recently announced more than $10 million in grants to commemorate what would have been Jim Moran’s 100th birthday on August 8th. Operation New Hope, a first-time grant recipient of The Jim Moran Foundation, received a two-year grant totaling $350,000 for its nationally-recognized Ready4Work® program.

Jim Moran’s legacy lives on through his foundation, led by his wife, Jan Moran, who serves as chairman & president. “Sharing his good fortune and creating opportunities for others to reach their greatest potential was always very important to my husband,” said Jan Moran in her announcement, adding that the 14 special grants will “prepare and empower individuals and families for healthy, self-sufficient and bright futures.”

Ready4Work® is a life and job skills training program for men and women who have a history of involvement with the criminal justice system. The 4-week program prepares returning citizens to reunite with their families and helps them get a job. Operation New Hope works with hundreds of employers to match program graduates with jobs that offer a sustainable quality of life. The community benefits by increased public safety and taxpayers benefit by a reduction in recidivism – an epidemic that costs Floridians’ hundreds of millions a year in corrections expenses.

“We are humbled by the transformational grant awarded through The Jim Moran Foundation”, says Operation New Hope CEO & Founder, Kevin Gay.  “It has been a pleasure working with and getting to know their staff. Jim Moran left an incredible legacy that is evident through the distinguished list of organizations that he supported. It is an honor for us to join his legacy, but more importantly, it is the impact that these funds will make in the community we serve that we are most grateful for. ”