$1.56M

Wages and stipends paid last 12 months

94.12%

12-month retention rate

99%

Unemployment

$46,023

Average wage at exit

OUR MISSION

“With a focus on skill development, real-world job experience, and trauma-informed care, Hopeworks propels young adults into long-term living wage careers that put them on the path for healing and financial stability”

Annual Reports

2024 IMPACT REPORT 2023 IMPACT REPORT

990 (2024)FINANCIAL REPORT

Our Vision. Our Mission.

Our Action.

Education, Technical Training, & Entrepreneurship.

Hopeworks provides a positive, healing atmosphere that propels young people to build strong futures and break the cycle of violence and poverty in Camden, New Jersey.

We connect young adults to life-changing opportunities where their growing technical skills go to work for enterprising businesses within our community. The real-world, on-the-job experience they gain raises their potential and benefits our partners.

Our Timeline

1999
Humble Beginnings
Father Jeff Puthoff and members of three churches in North Camden came together and organized the secular Hopeworks program in a row home on State Street.
2000
Our First Office
In 2000, we formed a Board of Directors, hired an Executive Director, wrote grant proposals, and got startup grants from the Campbell Soup Company and the Society of Jesus and in March of 2000, we opened our doors on 543 State Street to the first trainees and started our youth development non-profit.
2003
GIS
Hopeworks expanded its technology expertise to include Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in early 2003. This expansion was thanks to Matt Grove, a University of Pennsylvania graduate student who volunteered with the organization and had a passion for GIS.
2012
A Change in Direction
Hopeworks realized that for young adults to be successful, we also had to help young adults heal from the chronic stress and trauma they experienced. With the introduction of trauma-informed care in 2012, our completion rate quintupled, and our retention rate went up 12x.

During this year we also opened the CRIB, a residential program empowering young adults with stable housing, life skills, and financial tools to achieve independence.
2015
Continuing Education
Hopeworks offered its first post-secondary scholarship to young adults who want to attend college or pursue post-secondary training. Hopeworks continues to offer this support to this day.
2018
Our New Office
Hopeworks began our first Camden expansion to Market Street, where we increased program capacity and could provide more support to young adults.
2020
Alumni Support
We recognized that young adults about to enter the workforce didn’t have access to the internet or a computer at home to work. As a result, we opened The Cohen Technology Center for alumni, which offers a safe and comfortable coworking space in our office.
2022
Kensington
We proudly opened a new location in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, expanding our geographical footprint and extending our services to a new community.
2023
Camden Expansion
Hopeworks doubled the size of its Camden space on Market St., continuing to meet the demands of the community, with a growing waitlist of young adults waiting to join the program.
2024
Kensignton Expansion
Hopeworks expanded our Philadelphia location with an additional 3,000 sq ft.
The Present Day
Here at Hopeworks, we believe that without addressing the unresolved traumatic issues in a young adult's life–especially as they manifest in habitual patterns of protection–i.e. disengagement, disconnected emotional state, anger, emotional eruptions, etc.– youth will not be able to take full advantage of opportunities in their lives. We can either work on creating new opportunities and hope that there are young adults who can succeed in them or we can work on creating individuals who will be able to take advantage of new opportunities. We choose the latter!