Ready4Work Graduates from St. Johns County Reentry Center

The St. Johns County Reentry Center is up and running, and we are thrilled to report that our partnership with the Sheriff’s Office is off to a fantastic start! Our team has been providing reentry support and training to people currently incarcerated at the St. Johns County Jail for several weeks now, and as evidenced […]

St. Johns County Reentry Center Ribbon Cutting

Operation New Hope is pleased to announce that we will now be offering our nationally-recognized Ready4Work reentry training and support program to people prior to release from the St. Johns County Jail. This new and exciting partnership with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is made possible because of a generous ARPA grant from the United Way of St. […]

Second Chance Supporters – C Robinson Associates

The idiom “it takes a village” means many people must cooperate to achieve a goal. We certainly know that to be true here at Operation New Hope, and we are so thankful to the support from many in our village! Today we extend our sincere thanks to C Robinson Associates for their generous donation of Welcome […]

Second Chance Supporter – UPS

We would like to extend a big thank you to The UPS Foundation for their $25,000 grant in support of our  workforce development training. This generous funding will be used towards our Ready4Work Vocational Training program to provide work attire, transportation assistance, and job skills training to formerly incarcerated individuals in Jacksonville, Florida.  The primary […]

Mulligans for Hope 2022 Exceeds Expectations

Operation New Hope’s 2nd annual Mulligans for Hope Golf Tournament was a huge success! Over 100 golfers and volunteers enjoyed a beautiful day at Atlantic Beach Country Club while raising funds in support of second chances. We are thrilled to report that we raised over $128,000 during this year’s tournament to provide workforce training, mental […]

Voices of Hope – Reba O.

Before coming to Operation New Hope, I was in a really low place mentally and emotionally. I wasn’t dealing with things that were going on in my life in a productive manner, so instead I really had just given up. I stopped caring and that led me to decisions that landed me in jail. Even […]

Second Chance Supporter – Diesel Barbershop

We are thrilled to spotlight another one of our outstanding Employment Partners – Diesel Barbershop – for being a Second Chance Supporter. Our Employment Services Coordinator Steven Ingram sat down with Mike Baker at the Bartram Market location to talk about why he supports second chance hiring and here’s what he said: So, Mike tell […]

National Correctional Officers Week – Spotlight on Senior Classification Officer Engel

Operation New Hope has partnered with the Florida Department of Corrections for many years to deliver our Ready4Release and Ready4Work reentry programs. We are so thankful for their support of our mission to reconnect people with their communities, families, and the workforce. To show our thanks, we would like to showcase the work and talents […]

Kevin Gay to Serve on Citizens Advisory Committee of the Florida Bar

We are pleased to announce that Operation New Hope’s Founder and CEO Kevin Gay has been appointed to serve as a member of The Florida Bar Citizens Advisory Committee for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2024. The Florida Bar Citizens Advisory Committee is an advisory group of 12 citizens […]

Second Chance Supporter – Hope Enterprises dba The Original Granite Bracket

We continue to celebrate Second Chance Month this April by spotlighting our local Employment Partners who support second chances by hiring our Ready4Work graduates. We had the opportunity to visit Hope Enterprises dba The Original Granite Bracket and sit down with Roger Kaman, the National Accounts Manager, to learn why he is a Second Chance […]

Voices of Hope – Johnathan N.

After incarceration it’s very difficult to try and reenter society. When you get out of jail, try to reintegrate, and do things on your own, you get so disheartened. You get this sense of not being able to do it because it feels like the world is against you. It was even more difficult for […]

Voices of Hope – Jeremy S.

After years of struggling with drug addiction and unemployment, I was finally ready to make a change in my life. While serving time at Baker Correctional Institution, I heard about Operation New Hope’s Ready4Work program, so I decided to enroll at their St. Augustine location when I got out. The Ready4Work program helped me so […]

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 […]

Voices of Hope – Kory L.

When I was release from jail, I was staying at St. Francis homeless shelter in St. Augustine. I didn’t know what I was going to do or how I was going to do it. I don’t have an education and my rap sheet isn’t the best, so I knew I needed to do something. But […]

Second Chance Supporter – St. Johns Housing Partnership

In honor of Second Chance Month, Operation New Hope continues to spotlight our outstanding Employment Partners who support our mission by hiring our Ready4Work program graduates. We are so thankful to Second Chance Supporter – St. Johns Housing Partnership for their commitment to improving the community. For the past 25 years, St. Johns Housing Partnership […]

Second Chance Supporter – Bozard Ford Lincoln Dealership

April is Second Chance Month, a time when we celebrate those in our communities who are committed to helping people make the most of their second chances following incarceration. As President Biden recently stated in his Proclamation on Second Chance Month, 2021: “America’s criminal justice system must offer meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation.  After […]