We Need Your Help.
Share Your Time or Treasure
The Foundation of HOPE relies on the support of others like you to help us make a difference. Click on the tabs below to learn how you can get involved by sharing your gift of time, financial support, and donated goods.
Volunteers are always needed in our Chaplaincy, Pre-Release, Aftercare, and Diversion programs. Volunteers teach classes, visit inmates, lead worship services, serve as mentors, help with office work, and perform many other tasks. The Foundation of HOPE recruits and trains mature volunteers from religious and secular communities in the Pittsburgh area to provide vital support to our program participants and help us fulfill our organizational mission.
If you’re interested in volunteering your time, please complete and submit our Volunteer Application.
Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, willing to attend necessary training, and able to pass a background check. Chaplaincy volunteers must also be officially endorsed by a faith community.
Financial support is greatly needed to sustain, expand, and build the capacity of HOPE’s services. Donations are used to purchase religious literature, hygiene supplies, holiday gifts, and other items. HOPE also helps ex-offenders to find employment by providing bus passes to interviews and access to computer workstations to research jobs. Financial donations to HOPE are tax-deductible.
Tax-deductible gifts can be sent to:
The Foundation of HOPE
540 Suismon St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
412-321-3343
Checks can be made payable to “Foundation of HOPE.”
Literature
HOPE welcomes the following types of donated paperback books (in new or good condition):
- Bibles, commentaries, Bible study guides, concordances
- Religious devotionals or other religious material
- Qur’ans, Tafsirs, Hadiths
- New World Translation Bibles, Watchtower Publications: Awake & Watchtower
- Torah, Talmud, Prayer Books, Tnach, Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Press Magazines, and recent paperback books
- Positive paperback books, both fiction and non-fiction (must be non-violent and have no inappropriate material)
DVDs
The Pre-Release Program accepts positive DVDs (must be non-violent and have no inappropriate material)
Toiletry Items
Full-size (not trial size) toiletry items:
- Shampoo
- Lotion
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
Sweat Suits
Many inmates arrive at the jail during the summer, but are released during the winter with only their summer clothes to wear. The Chaplains’ office provides sweat suits to inmates who need warm clothing when they are released. Please follow these donation guidelines:
- New sweatpants/sweatshirts in sizes XL/XXL
- No hoods, writing, or graphics
- No red or maroon
Graduation Gifts
The HOPE Pre-Release Program rewards graduates with holy books from their faith. We are always in need of new Gift Bibles, as well as a variety of new books from other faiths.
Christmas Cards
We accept unused Christmas cards and give each inmate two cards to send at Christmas time.
Holiday Gifts for Inmates
The Chaplain’s Office gives a holiday gift to each inmate. Each package of gifts is identical and contains items such as writing tablets, pens, combs, soap, thermal shirts, packets of cocoa, candy bars, etc. Faith communities often choose one or more items to donate. If your faith community would be interested in providing one of the items for our holiday gifts, please contact the Chaplain’s Office.
If you have other items that you would like to donate or think might be useful, please call 412-350-2057.
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