Starting Justice-Involved Individuals on a Path to Employment and Independence
Using a Community Collaborative Model, the NRAEF partners with Justice System Agencies, Community-Based Organizations, and State Restaurant Associations to connect adults of all ages with current or previous justice-involvement to career opportunities in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry.
HOPES partners utilize the NRAEF’s Restaurant Ready training framework to equip individuals, 18 years of age and older, who are currently in correctional facilities, on parole/probation, or with former justice-involvement. Once a participant completes work-readiness and industry-specific training, HOPES helps them gain employment in a local restaurant and/or foodservice establishment. NRAEF works with employers and partnering organizations to help further the professional training and education of HOPES participants through connections to credentials and apprenticeship programs.
Program Information
Interested in learning more about the HOPES project? Download the program resources below.
How It Works
Click below to learn more about HOPES’ Community Collaborative Model.
HOPES Videos
HOPES Industry Skills Tour with MOD Pizza
Recently, participants from HOPES community-based organization partner Lawrence Hall attended a two-day “Industry Skills Tour” to learn more about opportunities in the restaurant industry and careers at MOD Pizza. Participants were joined by industry guests from MOD Pizza for a day of learning and visited a local MOD Pizza location for a behind-the-scenes tour.
HOPES Program Partners
Growth Opportunities 5
This grant focuses on work readiness for young adults (ages 18-24), including prevention services for at-risk participants in the community, as well as pre-release and re-entry services for young adults who are already impacted by the justice system. This program provides mentoring, leadership development and paid work experience to help young adults transition to the world of work.
Community Based Organizations
The CBOs connect with participants to conduct formal enrollment in the community or pre-release in the facility. CBOs provide individualized plans, case management, work readiness training, mentoring, leadership development, and paid work experience, as well as industry credentialing, wraparound services, employment placement and 12 months of follow-up support.
Café Momentum (Pittsburgh), Pittsburgh, PA
Career Resources, Bridgeport, CT
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Partners for Progress, Anchorage, AK
Peckham Human Services, Flint & Lansing, MI
Justice Partners
These partners identify eligible participants for the HOPES program and provide industry training and program engagement for participants during incarceration.
Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice
Colorado Department of Human Services
Connecticut Judicial Branch Court
Connecticut Department of Corrections
New Castle County Police Department (DE)
State Restaurant Associations
The SRAs engage industry partners to connect participants with career information and employment opportunities and recruit employers to host work experiences. SRAs also play a critical role in educating the industry and prospective employers on the HOPES initiative.
Colorado Restaurant Foundation
Connecticut Hospitality Education Foundation
Delaware Restaurant Foundation
Michigan Hospitality Foundation
Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association Education Foundation
Pathway Home 6
This grant focuses on the transition of adults (ages 18 and over) back into their communities and the workplace. Program participants are enrolled pre-release so work readiness and reentry preparation services can start in the facility. Training, credentialing, placement, and retention supports continue in the community post-release to support successful reentry, employment, and career pathways
Community Based Organizations
The CBOs connect with participants to conduct formal enrollment in the facility prerelease or in the community if already in reentry. CBOs provide individualized plans, coaching and case management, including: additional training, wraparound services, employment placement and 12 months of follow-up support.
Community Counseling Bristol County, Taunton, MA
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
EntreNous Youth Empowerment Services, Compton, CA
First State Community Action Agency, Dover, DE
The Gavin Foundation, Boston, MA
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (Chopping for Change), Cleveland, OH
Justice Partners
These partners identify eligible participants for the HOPES program and provide industry training and program engagement for participants during incarceration.
California Department of Corrections
Delaware Department of Correction
Massachusetts Department of Correction
State Restaurant Associations
The SRAs connect participants with career information and employment opportunities through their employer partners and identify employers for recruitment. SRAs also play a critical role in educating employers on the HOPES initiative.
California Restaurant Foundation
Delaware Restaurant Foundation
Massachusetts Restaurant Association educational Foundation
Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association Education Foundation
HOPES is 100% funded through two grants in the amounts of $5.1 million and $4 million, awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.
This web page was created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This web page content is copyrighted by the NRAEF.
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