Giving Dads a Second Chance
In anticipation of Second Chance Month, we are pleased to celebrate the dads at Lawtey Correctional Institution who are working hard to make the most of their second chances by learning how to be better fathers. Operation New Hope’s Ready4Release Manager Ronnie Cage was onsite at the prison to celebrate the men who successfully completed […]
2021 COJ/HUD Initiative Awardee!
On Tuesday, June 22, 2021, Operation New Hope was honored by Mayor Lenny Curry on behalf of the City of Jacksonville and in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a 2021 recipient of the COJ/HUD Public-Philanthropic Initiative Award. Awardees were selected by an independent jury panel and presented to three […]
Giving the Gift of Hope – Wells Fargo
Operation New Hope is so grateful for the generosity of Wells Fargo and their donation of $25,000. Wells Fargo has a strong history of supporting nonprofits that strategically align with their funding priorities: financial health, housing affordability, small business growth, and sustainability and environmental justice. Wells Fargo is committed to building an inclusive, sustainable recovery […]
Hope.Starts.Here. An Employee Spotlight Series
At Operation New Hope, our team is extremely passionate about the work we do every day to help our clients and to strengthen our community. Hope truly powers us to show up and do the work and fuels us to serve the people hoping to transform their lives through employment. To better understand this, we […]
Voices of Hope – Shelby M.
I’m from Gulf Shores, Alabama and I’ve been working in the service industry since I was old enough to work. I started bartending at 21, and it was a lot of fun, but I got into a lot of trouble. When a friend came to visit me and saw the life I was living, she […]
Second Chance Supporter – Council on Aging
In the United States, one in three adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other opportunities necessary for a productive life. Even after they have completed their sentences and have been released from prison, these men and women face more than 48,000 documented legal restrictions in addition to widespread […]
Rethreaded is Helping Keep Operation New Hope & Community Safe
Wearing a mask is one of many ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. And since returning to the office on June 2, 2020, our team has become comfortable wearing masks daily at Operation New Hope in an effort to keep our staff, clients, and the greater community safe. We are so excited about the new masks […]
Voices of Hope – Richard S.
Richard Smith grew up in St. Augustine, Florida where he was raised by his grandmother. “My mom gave us up and that lack of love led me to the streets. I had a good job, but I just got greedy. Money becomes a drug too, and I got lost in it all. There is no […]
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 – Jessica P.
I was living on the streets, using heroin, and in and out of jail. I used drugs to numb the pain in my life. However, drugs erased more than just the pain – it took away everything including gratitude and joy. I was empty. The last time I was arrested, I thought, ‘That’s it. I’m […]
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 […]
Operation New Hope’s Risk Assessment Project
In an effort to better serve our clients and community, Operation New Hope has initiated a Risk Assessment Project designed to assess individual’s risk of recidivism and develop rehabilitation plans specifically tailored to address relevant risk factors. Spearheading the initiative are our Clinical Services Director Gretchen Hamm and our Strategic Expansion Director Laureen Husband. We […]