Voices of Hope – Jacques D.

“After several years in prison, I got tired of being stagnant. I decided I needed to put things from my past to the side. I came to the realization that prison is a university, and I was going to make the most of that education. I started studying, reading, and learning in order to broaden […]
Voices of Hope – Rachel H.

I struggled with drug addiction for 8 years wanting to live a sober life. I felt like I was stuck on a merry-go-round, thinking I wasn’t worthy. I tried everything from outpatient to medicated assisted treatment, but nothing worked, until I committed myself to 100 days of residential rehab at Gateway. After successfully completing the […]
Voices of Hope – Jacqueline B.

I came out of a good family, but I took my own road. After spending 12 years in Federal prison, I got out and stayed clean and sober for 13 and half years. But I eventually went back to the same people, the same places, and the same things, and my life went back to […]
Voices of Hope – Leigh Anne P.

I had 3 months left on my parole when I was arrested for a minor violation. I was sent back to prison to serve out the remainder of my parole term, and I was released in the middle of a pandemic with only a bus ticket. I went back to the same pre-prison lifestyle – […]
Voices of Hope – Keith C.

By the time I realized I was too far gone, I already was. I spent 10 years in prison due to my drug addiction and the choices I made. But prison was really a rescue mission from God. During my first 3 years, I spent 26 months in solitary confinement until finally surrendered and turned […]
Second Chance Supporter – Maple Street Biscuit Company

Maple Street Biscuit Company is truly living up to their mission to “Help People, Serve Others, Be a Part of the Community.” Operation New Hope is thankful for their partnership and we look forward to working together to help people make the most of their second chances.
Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund Supports Operation New Hope’s Response to COVID-19

Operation New Hope is honored by the tremendous community support being offered to us during these difficult times. Delores Barr Weaver, a long time supporter and advocate of our work, recently made another generous grant to support our COVID-19 response efforts. Because of this $25,000 grant, Operation New Hope can continue our mission to help […]
Voices of Hope – Aaron F.
Drugs and doing stuff to get drugs sent me to prison. I started using when I was 13 and I went to prison 8 times. Every time I got out, it was the same thing. I’d spend 2 years in and then spend 6 months out. And when I got sentenced to 10 years the […]
Letter of Thanks from Ready4Work Client

Being in the business of hope is so rewarding! At Operation New Hope, we are so fortunate to witness personal transformations daily and to champion our clients’ successes. The below letter received from a client after he graduated the Ready4Work program yesterday is real proof that second chances matter! We are so thankful to Kelly […]
Ready4Work Continues to Match Clients with Living Wage Jobs

Operation New Hope’s Employment Services Team remains hard at work and is crushing goals! Since the beginning of the year, we have placed 157 clients in living wage jobs despite the uncertain and shifting economy. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we not only exceeded our prior years’ achievements, but we have been helping […]
Voices of Hope – Michael C.

I grew up on the streets and I had been using heroin since I was 16. I got high to deal with the pain, but every time I came back down, the pain would still be there. I knew I needed to change. When I got arrested the last time, the State Attorney told me […]
Voices of Hope – Danielle P.

After three years of unemployment, with two children to support and the threat of returning to jail looming because of her inability to repay restitution totaling $10,000, Danielle Pryor felt hopeless. The memory of that difficult period brought tears to her eyes. “I had done my time, learned my lesson, and been forgiven by God, […]
Voices of Hope – Athena S.

In a classroom packed with current Ready4Work clients, Athena Swygert confessed to spending the years between 17 and 39 addicted to meth. “I took for granted everything I had. I didn’t care because I was an addict. I stole. I cheated – and they took my children.” She paused and took a deep breath before […]
Voices of Hope – Russell B.

Planting potatoes on the Farm Squad was hard. Crawling on my hands and knees in the field in the bitter cold without being paid really informed my outlook on work. Once I reached a certain level of maturity, I decided it was time to change my life. After 10 years in prison, I returned to […]
Voices of Hope – Ansley G.

A heroin and meth addict since I was 12 years old, I was in and out of rehab and jail for years. I felt defeated and had accepted that I was going to be a lifelong addict. It wasn’t until I was arrested for a probation violation and facing 18 months of prison time that […]
Voices of Hope – Shane H.

Despite the current crisis facing our world, nothing can dim the light shining in Shane Hutto’s smiling face. Full of hope, Shane recently began pursuing a lifelong goal and enrolled in an IT program to earn his A+ certification. He said it’s “great to have motivation again!” Shane spent much of his 20’s in what […]