Kevin T. Gay
President and Founder
Operation New Hope
Mission
Operation New Hope is dedicated to providing individuals and families with opportunities to rebuild their lives and restore their communities through sustainable economic development opportunities.
Serving Jacksonville
We were incorporated in 1999. We are based in Jacksonville.
Those served
We serve the urban core area of Jacksonville in our affordable housing division. To date, we have developed or revitalized almost 75 houses. Through our prisoner re-entry program called Ready4Work (R4W), we have served more than 1,800 ex-offenders in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau and Putnam counties. We are in the final stages of developing a replication model for R4W that we hope to roll out across the country.
Biggest challenge
Meeting the high demand for services during tough economic times.
Biggest satisfaction
Seeing a family realize the dream of home ownership and watching an ex-offender successfully transition back into society after incarceration through obtaining gainful employment. Both are critical economic development indicators of a healthy community.
Hometown
I was born in Jacksonville and graduated from The Bolles School and then the University of Florida. My parents were born in Jacksonville and were raised in the historic Springfield community where our office is located.
First experience with community service
In 1990, I was asked to be a part of an organization called Reconcile Jacksonville. The goal was bringing black and white churches together with the goal of developing deeper relationships that would allow us to better understand how to improve race relations in our city.
Your job before Operation New Hope
I worked in the insurance industry for 15 years and before that with the PGA Tour.
Upcoming events
Always looking for mentors and employers willing to hire our clients.
Contact information
www.operationnewhope.com
www.ready4work.com
Operation New Hope
1830 N. Main St.
Jacksonville, FL 32206
354-4673