Hope Inspired Ministries combines faith and works to help Alabamians succeed

Like most faith-based service organizations, Hope Inspired Ministries infuses prayer and Bible study into its program that’s designed to help unemployed individuals obtain, maintain, and excel in jobs that are right for them. But as the Bible says in James 2:26, “Faith without works is dead.”

That’s why the work of Hope Inspired Ministries (HIM) is not only fueled by faith but also powered by practical solutions.

“Sometimes people can’t feel the love from the church because they have these barriers holding them back,” said John Bowman, executive director of Hope Inspired Ministries. These barriers might include a lack of identification, transportation, housing, clothing or medical care.

“I like to say we do workforce development with a heavy dose of social work,” Bowman said. “We get into the mess and clean it up.”

On Tuesday, April 22, Hope Inspired Ministries will host its annual Hope Heals luncheon at The Club in Birmingham. At the fundraiser, attendees will get to see the organization’s impact firsthand. Program participants will present storyboards and life maps chronicling their journeys.

Judge Andra Sparks, presiding judge of the Birmingham Municipal Court, pastor, and HIM board member, will serve as the emcee for the luncheon and moderate a discussion with two HIM graduates. Gerica Cammack is currently an apprentice chef at Urban Ministry and recently had the chance to participate in a national cooking competition. HIM graduate Robert Fleissner was promoted to area manager at Sanpeggio’s Pizza.

“We want them not to just get a job, but we want them to really excel at the workplace,” Bowman said. “And also excel in the community and excel in life.”

Alabama Power Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Hope Inspired Ministries.

Tom McNeal, Workforce Development manager at Alabama Power, serves on the board for Hope Inspired Ministries.

“The foundation for career success and a fulfilling life is often built in our early years, but not everyone has the same opportunities or support,” McNeal said. “At Hope Inspired Ministries, they are dedicated to leveling the playing field, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background and challenges, has the chance to build a brighter future.”

Expanding impact

Hope Inspired Ministries was founded in Montgomery in 2012 by Michael Coleman, a retired Army veteran and pastor. In 2017, a HIM program was established in Birmingham. Bowman, who’d been a longtime volunteer with the organization, took over as executive director in 2020 after retiring from the Montgomery police department. That year, Hope Inspired Ministries also expanded into Lowndes County.

HIM also partners with organizations around the state to implement the HIM program for their participants. Those organizations include The Foundry Ministries in Bessemer, the Alabama Department of Youth Services at Mount Meigs, and The Foundry Farm in Cullman. HIM also partnered with the Lowndes County Board of Education in 2023 to teach the HIM curriculum to all seniors at two public high schools in the county.

The HIM curriculum covers conflict resolution, interview skills, financial literacy, and resume writing. It also integrates elements from Alabama Career Essentials, a training course designed by the Alabama Community College System to provide Alabamians with relevant training to better prepare them for the Alabama workforce.

Meanwhile, HIM coaches are also working to remove barriers to success, whether that means taking students to doctors’ appointments or helping them obtain valid identification. After six weeks of classes, participants are put to work for a three-week internship in the hope of staying on for long-term employment.

Those who finish the nine-week program are celebrated with a graduation ceremony, complete with cap and gown. Eighty-five to 90% of HIM graduates find employment.

As a retired law enforcement officer, Bowman believes that programs like Hope Inspired Ministries can benefit not just individuals but entire communities, in part by reducing crime.

“And there’s an economic impact,” Bowman said. “When you take an unemployed individual that’s costing the city and the state money, and then you turn around and put them in the workforce, and now they’re contributing – there’s a big impact there.”

The team at Hope Inspired Ministries actively recruits program participants, reaching out to judges, re-entry groups at prisons, housing authority propertie,s and homeless shelters.

Bowman stressed that not all program participants have a history of incarceration. He recalls one participant who had two degrees and was working at a university but struggled to get back on her feet after being laid off and lost her house.

“We’re all one or two decisions away from needing some help,” Bowman said.

The Hope Heals luncheon is set for Tuesday, April 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Club, 1 Robert S. Smith Drive, Birmingham, Alabama. Individual tickets are $75 and can be purchased here.

Courtesy of Alabama News Center