Mission: Project New Hope Inc provides free weekend retreats to Active duty, National Guard and Reserve soldiers and their families. Almost all of these heroes share one thing in common, returning home and adjusting to civilian life was, and is very challenging for both the Veteran and their families. Many of them return with injuries, both seen and unseen, which make the transition even more difficult. Some suffer from depression and turn to addiction or worse, suicide.

Results: Project New Hope (PNH) was founded in 2010 by USAF Disabled Veteran, Bill Moore in recognition of the impact military service has on the lives of Service Members and their families. Bill leads the organization as volunteer Executive Director, having retired from state service in 2007.Throughout his many years of state service, Bill developed a deep understanding of social work and human services through diverse experiences including as a Juvenile Corrections Worker for the Department of Youth Services, an Adolescent Social Worker with the Department of Social Services, and a Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialist with Workforce Central Division of Career Services. Bill’s wife Donna is the true heart of the organization, her volunteer contributions include supporting our very small staff and large group of volunteers as well as managing the baby pantries for military families with small children. Donna brings years of human resource management and operations to her volunteer work at PNH. Bill and Donna are a dynamic leadership team with years of experience in meeting the unique needs of disabled Veterans and their families. The organization has a strong Board of Directors that provide oversight and accountability to all those we serve and our community of financial supporters. A small staff provide program and administrative support to our three sites: Worcester, MA, and Westfield, MA and White River Junction, VT. Most of our staff, volunteers, board members and retreat leaders are Veterans, active Service Members, and Military family members.

Target demographics: Veterans and Military families

Direct beneficiaries per year: Active, National Guard, Reservist and veterans from all eras

Geographic areas served: Worcester & Westfield, MA. and White River Junction Vermont

Programs: We are dedicated to helping all Veterans, and their families, with the transition from military life to civilian life with retreatsWe run three empowerment centers, allowing us to serve veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families who live in Massachusetts & Vermont. The centers are open daily. Through these centers, we can provide food, personal hygiene products, and many other life essentials for families. There are also full-service baby pantries inside. In addition, these centers allow the servicemen and their families to connect to various services such as Veterans Coffee Social, wellness care, claims, and more.