Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Smith
Hi Valerie , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2020, Hope Seals was launched out our hearts with a mission to serve men returning from incarceration. Hope has since transformed into a full-service prison re-entry program, fostering partnerships across the city. We provide meals for our team every day, facilitating daily workouts, prayer, and devotion at our shop. This environment nurtures a sense of family and community, offering support at every stage of reintegration. Sealcoating & Asphalt services help fund our mission, but our true passion lies in making a positive impact on the lives of the individuals we serve and supporting the community year after year. Since conception, Hope has grown from just us with our 2 young kids in a pick-up truck, serving sealer out of drums & meeting in our back yard for business meetings to a full-service fleet of 6 – heavy duty trucks, 2 power agitated sealcoat rigs, a diesel hot box, thousands of dollars in hand tools and inventory, and a 5000 SQFT shop facility that allows for daily meetings, training, inventory, machinery and vehicle storage.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! We’ve found that while our path has been full of adversity, it’s also produced character and refined us in ways that we could have never achieved without the challenges. One of our favorite speeches is Teddy Roosevelts, “Man in the Arena”. Every time we interview a new guy for the Hope Team, we have him read it as we feel it encompasses what it means to stay in the fight, especially in the prison re-entry space. We cannot be spectators; we must all stay engaged!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Hope Seals LLC & Hope Stays (non-profit)?
Hope Seals LLC is a complete Asphalt Service Provider offering restorative care for both residential and commercial driveways & parking lots. We offer the complete scope of work from yearly maintenance to a brand-new driveway; our team offers the highest quality workmanship to get the job done right the first time. However, while asphalt may pay the bills, we are truly a people business. Hope was founded with people in mind – my husband and I felt a call to serve the men coming home from incarceration and we’re proud to say we’ve developed into a full-service prison re-entry program. We have partnerships all over the city, we provide a meal for our team every day of the week, they come to our shop for daily workouts, prayer & devotion and truly build family with wrap-around services every step of the way. Asphalt has allowed us to fund the operation but our heart has always been with the people & the men that we’ve been able to influence with positive change and support in our community, year over year. In June of 2024, Hope launched its non-profit division, Hope Stays. The first focus of this program is on Transitional Housing for Re-entry Citizens and was created to help Greater Cleveland residents returning from incarceration find a safe home to rebuild their lives outside of the confines of low-income housing that is typically offered. Recidivism statistics in the U.S. are grim. A 2021 Bureau of Justice Statistics study found that 66% of people released from prison in 24 different states were re-arrested within three years. Hope Stays is mission to break the chain of the unhoused, unemployed, and disconnected from our society for our returning citizens, instilling hope and optimism in their journey. Working in partnership with the Cuyahoga Land Bank Charities, they have committed to giving Hope Stays a property to completely renovate. These homes are on the demo list and will need a top to bottom restoration. Once this newly renovated home is finished, it will be ready for one of our current (Hope Seals) re-entry team members and their family to rent at a low cost. This is just one of the many exciting projects with Team Hope!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Absolutely – I think the biggest piece of advice we’d give to young business owners would be to protect your heart! We lead with love – and intend to keep it that way. But Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart; for out of it flows the issues of life.” We found ourselves enduring unnecessary pain due to have improper guardrails and/or boundaries up to protect us and our business. It’s definitely a dance to navigate delicately but we’ve taken the time to get mentors in our life that help us stay grounded and keep our love for people pure while maintaining order in our own lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hopeseals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopesealsllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Hope-Seals-LLC-100070920183500/
- Other: https://www.hopestays.org
