Voices of Hope – Braeden C.
“I was born and raised on the East Coast. I left home at 13 years old and faced homelessness on and off over the years. When I came to Jacksonville, I ended up getting lost in substance abuse and really struggled to get out of that cycle. I remember just crying out and asking God […]
Building Strong Financial Futures: VyStar Credit Union Visits Operation New Hope
On February 24, 2025, Operation New Hope had the pleasure of welcoming David Aubuchon, Business Development Leader, and Sabrina Spann, Assistant Branch Manager, from VyStar Credit Union to our Jacksonville program location. Their visit to our financial literacy class, part of the Ready4Work program, provided our clients with crucial insights on Identity Theft and Fraud […]
Operation New Hope Awarded Top Workplace for Third Consecutive Year
We are thrilled to announce that Operation New Hope has been recognized as a Top Workplace in Jacksonville for 2025 by the Florida Times-Union—marking our third consecutive year receiving this incredible honor! This achievement is a testament to our dedicated and passionate staff, whose commitment to our mission creates a workplace culture that is both inspiring and impactful. At Operation New […]
Operation New Hope Joins Mobile Reentry Unit Ribbon Cutting in St. Johns County
On Thursday February 20th, Operation New Hope Board Members Karen Holt, Stephen Colson, and Ashley Pratt, along with our Board Chair Coley Jones and ONH President/CEO Reggie Fullwood, attended the Mobile Reentry Unit Ribbon Cutting Event in St. Johns County. This innovative initiative, led by the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) and the Florida Foundation for […]
Where Art Meets Impact: The Art of Hope Closing Reception
Operation New Hope (ONH), dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and incarceration in Florida, recently hosted an inspiring Closing Reception for The Art of Hope exhibition. Held at the University of North Florida’s Student Union in the Lufrano Intercultural Gallery and The Boathouse, the event welcomed over 150 guests to an evening celebrating art, […]
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, […]
Meet the Staff-Darryl Matthews
Meet Darryl Matthews, the Career Development Lead at our Jacksonville location. Darryl joined the Operation New Hope team in 2019. He interacts with every client in the Ready4Work program in Jacksonville, teaching the Career Development portion of classes daily. His instruction covers a range of topics including body language, valuing diversity, anger management, and responding […]
Conser Moving Solutions Donates over 100 Books to ONH Library
The books that would go to Operation New Hope at the Conser Moving Solutions office. We are thrilled to extend a heartfelt thank you to the incredible team at Conser Moving Solutions for their generous donation of over 100 books to Operation New Hope last week! Since April, Conser Moving Solutions staff and their families […]
Second Chance Supporters- Turner Construction’s Generous Donation
Every week, we welcome individuals back from jail and prison who enroll in our program with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Thank you, Turner Construction, for being a second chance supporter and providing our clients with Welcome Home Hygiene Kits. These kits contain essential hygiene products, including shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, […]
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 […]
Meet the Staff – RJ
https://youtu.be/gcHaqwvlcjM Meet one of our Pre-release Case Managers – Ryan “RJ” James RJ joined Operation New Hope in 2021 to be a beacon of hope for those going through trauma so that they can overcome life’s challenges. Working in collaboration with the Department of Corrections, RJ and the Ready4Release team deliver pre-release services to 30+ facilities across Florida. […]
Kaley Vontz Promoted to Community Engagement Manager
Operation New Hope is pleased to announce that Kaley Vontz has been promoted to Community Engagement Manager. In this new role, Kaley will be responsible for increasing awareness of our mission and cultivating relationships to encourage support, partnerships, and engagement. Kaley is a Jacksonville native who grew up at the beach and graduated from Episcopal […]
Breaking Barriers: Celebrating the Graduation of our First Women’s Class in St. Johns County
We are thrilled to announce the graduation of our first class of women from the Ready4Work reentry program at St. Augustine Jail. Over the past several months, we have been delivering reentry services behind the walls of the St. Johns County facility to prepare people for successful transition prior to release. Their journey hasn’t […]
Building Confidence, One Knot at a Time: A Tie-Tying Event for Our Clients
Transitioning from incarceration back into society can be a daunting journey for many individuals. The challenges of finding employment and rebuilding one’s life can feel overwhelming, especially with all the barriers people face. For individuals with a criminal background, the stigma associated with their past can make it even more challenging to secure employment. However, with […]
Voices of Hope – Indeah E.
“I’m from Jacksonville, grew up on the Eastside, and had a wonderful life. I was raised right, but went down the wrong path. I was introduced to alcohol at 8 and started using drugs at 11. After being gang raped at 12 years old, I ran away from home, got sex trafficked, and was doing […]
Voices of Hope – Toby D.
“I spent time at Baker and Columbia Correctional Facilities for possession of firearms. I heard about Operation New Hope while incarcerated, but thought I wouldn’t be able to get into the program because of my charges. But the Ready4Release case managers worked with me to get me signed up. “Even though I had a job […]
