ABOUT
US
Millions of Americans are out of work. Our goal is to train those on the margins of society with a marketable job skill to change their lives and help end joblessness.
VISION &
MISSION.
Our Vision
ReIgniting Hope in the World One Life at a Time.
Our Mission
Penetrating communities with life-changing career training that meets the needs of tomorrow's workforce.
VALUES.
Our Values
HISTORY.
There are many valuable “safety net” services in LA, including soup kitchens and shelters where people can get a hot meal or a bed for the night. Willie Jordan, President of the Fred Jordan Mission, once commented, “I see the same faces night after night. How can we make a lasting change in the lives of these people?” The vision for ReIGNITE Hope was born. We decided not to settle for survival, but to strive for transformation.
As the Outreach Pastor at Rolling Hills Covenant Church, Steve Bunyard often partnered with the Fred Jordan Mission on Skid Row. He chatted with all sorts of people who were in a bad place in their lives. He left the experience with a desire to do something that would bring these souls hope for a stable future. Before becoing a pastor, Steve learned how to weld, as he had previously owned a shop selling high performance transmission products. He wrestled with a thought: Could these folks benefit from learning how to weld?
With the support of Fred Jordan Mission and Rolling Hills Covenant Church, he started his first welding class with five homeless men eager to change their lives. From its humble beginnings, the program has since moved locations several times to fulfill the increasing demands of prospective students.
We are now currently situated in a 6,000 square foot facility with 15 state-of-the-art welding stations and a 30-seat classroom in Gardena, California. Potential applicants are referred to the program through a variety of local charitable organizations and simple word of mouth. This process helps to identify those who are ready to make substantial changes in their lives and are eager to learn how to do life differently.
We attribute our success to God leading us to a unique and comprehensive design of the program. Students are followed from the moment they are first referred until their first job as a welder. Qualified and experienced staff and volunteers work one-on-one with each student to ensure they get the necessary skills and education to become employable.
Our program has a diverse race and gender population. Most of our student body are former gang members, the homeless and ex-offenders. In 2019, we started a class for at-risk Veterans to facilitate the transition from military to civilian employment. In 2020 with the expanding number of women interested in non-traditional careers, we plan to start a class for women only.
The future is bright and we are anxious to see where God will lead us next.
PARTNERS.
We are very grateful to our partners who donate supplies, clothing, time, energy and have such a heart for those on the margins of society.
