Get a first-hand account of the remarkable work of HOPE (Helping Oppressed People Excel). Founded by Antoin Quarles El, HOPE is based in Baltimore and helps to empower men and women from incarceration to community, connecting them with resources for job and GED training, and helping them manage their caseworker and other appointments. HOPE participants are guided by peer mentors who assist them in developing coping skills, accountability, life laws, and strong relationships to help them deal with past traumas and the stress of life outside jail or prison.

Since its inception in 2017, HOPE’s holistic approach has evolved to address credit building, financial coaching, and parenting education. Mr. Quarles El will review 2024 successes and describe HOPE’s new programs and initiatives. Highlights include:

· Peer Mentoring and Support Dinners: Weekly meetings doubled in attendance last year, growing from an average of 15 participants in early 2024 to 31 by the year’s end. Participants receive community support, education, and practical help like bus passes (1,072 passes were distributed this year alone).

· Circle of Security Parenting Workshops: HOPE hosted its first cohort of this evidence-based program, helping participants strengthen family relationships.

· Financial Empowerment: Through a partnership with Operation HOPE, participants attended monthly budgeting and credit-building workshops, with access to one-on-one financial coaching.

· Housing Assistance: Eleven participants received rent support, including five who secured their first apartments since being incarcerated, with help covering security deposits and first-month rent.

Learn more about HOPE at hopeinbaltimore.org and emmanueldowntown.org/hope

Our program will provide the opportunity for questions and discussion. Light refreshments provided.

Help us program First Sunday Forum

If you have ideas for speakers for our monthly program, please contact Laura Gillis at mgillis@yahoo.com, or David Williams at davidwilliams207@gmail.com.