Celebrating Creativity and Resilience at The Art of Hope Poetry Workshop

 The Art of Hope Poetry Workshop brought an evening of inspiration, creativity, and powerful storytelling to our Jacksonville community. Held at the UNF Lufrano Intercultural Gallery, the workshop highlighted voices within the justice-impacted community, showcasing their resilience and self-expression through the arts. We were honored to welcome local poets Jessica Stark, Devin Coleman, and Daniel Welch,  […]

Orlando Utilities Commission Donates over 1,000 Hygiene Kits to Operation New Hope

On Saturday, June 22, the spirit of generosity was on full display as employees from the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) gathered to assemble 1,000 personal care packages for Operation New Hope.  The event brought together employees from various departments, all united by a common purpose: to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals […]

Voices of Hope Update-Father’s Day Edition with Fazil L.

Founded in March 1999, Operation New Hope is celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, commemorating our legacy of transformative impact on the people and communities we serve. To mark this momentous occasion, we reached out to some of our former clients to see how they are doing now. Years after returning home, they are still […]

Race to Success: Highlights from Our 3rd Annual 5K Event

With over 350 runners and walkers participating, the 3rd annual Hope Starts Here 5K presented by Florida Capital Bank was a great success! We raised over $25,000 in celebration of our 25th anniversary!  At the starting line, Reggie Fullwood, President and CEO of Operation New Hope said, “We do this because we want to raise […]

The UPS Foundation Supports Second Chances

UPS Grant Presentation to Operation New Hope The UPS Foundation has made a significant investment of $250,000 to support second chances in Jacksonville, Florida. Operation New Hope is excited to partner with UPS to expand vocational training opportunities for our Ready4Work clients. Grant funding will also support development of an Emerging Leaders Training program that […]

Ready4Work Graduates are on the RISE

Operation New Hope is excited to be partnering with the City of Orlando to ensure our Ready4Work graduates are on the RISE! Clients who successfully complete our Ready4Work Orlando Career Development program and take advantage of additional Career and Technical training can earn additional stipends to support their Second Chance journey to a new career and […]

Press Release: Operation New Hope Announces Addition of Two New Board Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 20, 2023 Operation New Hope Announces Addition of Two New Board Members Jacksonville, Florida – Operation New Hope announces the addition of two new board members who will help guide the nonprofit’s mission to provide training and support to people impacted by the justice system to reconnect them to the workforce […]

Creating HOPE with Indigo Art Therapy

Operation New Hope teamed up with Indigo Art Therapy Studio to facilitate a special 5-week series of collaborative Arts and Wellness Group Workshops for clients at ONH’s Jacksonville location. The goal was to provide integrative community care that gives formerly incarcerated people a new sense of self, and a voice with which to express it. These workshops, […]

Meet the Staff – Yolanda

https://youtu.be/5A-AwZN7Uzk Meet our Ready4Work Case Manager and Recovery Support Group Facilitator – Yolanda Goodman. In 2022, Yolanda made the move from Illinois to Florida to join the Operation New Hope team, bringing with her a wealth of experience in teaching and case management. Yolanda and the Ready4Work Case Management team deliver post-release services and individualized support […]

Orlando Showed Up to Race in Support of Hope

The Hope Starts Here 5k in Orlando was a great success! Participants and sponsors enjoyed a beautiful morning by Baldwin Lake while supporting efforts to reconnect people to the workforce, their families, and our communities after involvement with the criminal justice system. Thanks to everyone who came out to race in support of Second Chances […]

Voices of Hope – Willie T.

“Before Operation New Hope, I was homeless and going to various programs and community resource centers to get shoes, clothing and meals. I really wasn’t in a good place, but I have always tried to lived by the philosophy that life is neither good nor bad, it’s what you make of it. So I was […]

Ready4Work Orlando Celebrates First Year

To meet the critical needs of the thousands of people who return home to Central Florida every month from jail and prison, Operation New Hope opened a new program location in Orlando in September 2022 as part of our Statewide Reentry Network. After our first year of delivering our nationally-recognized Ready4Work reentry program and providing […]

Voices of Hope – Candace C.

“I’m a 38 year-old mother of 8 children who was never a heavy drug user until my husband and I separated after 22 years of marriage. I felt so scared and alone and threw myself into drugs and sex, but it didn’t get me anywhere except arrested for drug possession with intent to sell and […]

Congressman Rutherford Thanks Community for Support of Second Chances

Congressman Rutherford and Susan King of Feeding Northeast Florida Rev. Beth Tjoflat of St. Mary’s and Crystal Chisholm Members from nonprofit and faith communities gathered for Community Breakfast Operation New Hope’s Reggie Fullwood thanking Congressman Rutherford for being a Second Chance Supporter Congressman John Rutherford returned home to Jacksonville to speak on the importance of […]

Voices of Hope – David P.

“I’m originally from Bradenton, Florida and started using drugs because it was the only escape route I knew. If I couldn’t get it, I’d find a way to take it. The day I went to jail, I lost everything. I hurt the person I cared about the most and that hurt me. It broke my […]