Hope Seals, Hope Stays
PAVING THE WAY FOR NEW BEGINNINGS
“Psalm 68 says God is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, and sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing. That’s what he’s done for Hope Seals,” says Valerie Smith.
A story of redemption and renewal is being written on driveways and parking lots across Cleveland. At the center of it are leaders Richard and Valerie Smith, a husband-and-wife duo whose faith and determination gave life to Hope Seals LLC, a seal-coating business that gives men returning from incarceration a fresh start with employment and so much more.
Founded in 2020, Hope Seals was born out of a belief that God could take broken beginnings and turn them into something new. “We were broke as a joke, but hungry for God to move in our lives and in our community,” Valerie says. “He birthed something in us with a passion for re-entry and that’s what we do every day.”
For Richard, the mission is personal. “I did four years of ‘juvie’. Then I came home briefly before I recommitted,” he says. “Once I was incarcerated as an adult, God started working in my life. I started to value brotherhood and community because I was around a lot of positive father figures and role models, ironically as that sounds in prison. God put it in my heart to give back in that way and start a community through Hope Seals.”
Though it began with minimal resources, Hope Seals has grown into a full-scale operation with a 5,000-square-foot facility, a dedicated team, and a growing fleet of equipment. But what truly sets Hope Seals apart isn’t the business itself, it’s the culture. Every morning before a single tool is picked up, the men gather for devotion, prayer, physical training, and breakfast. “We just spend time in God’s Word and in family and community,” Valerie says. “That’s what matters most to our family.”
The employees of Hope Seals find more than a paycheck. They find belonging, accountability, and hope. “We tell the guys every day that we are bringing an imperfect love from ourselves,” Valerie says. “But the love of the father is perfect and his ways perfect.”
Even customer interactions become opportunities to share hope. “Some of our most powerful ministry moments happen right on the job,” Richard says. “We’ve prayed for customers, had them pray for us, and watched God meet people right where they are.” Their approach is about being sensitive to what God’s doing. Valerie recalls a moment when an elderly resident called, explaining they needed driveway repairs required by the city and asking if they could pay with several different credit cards. “In those moments,” she says, “the Holy Spirit just nudges us to help.”
That same spirit of restoration is expanding beyond the blacktop through the couple’s nonprofit, Hope Stays. The Hope Stays Transitional Housing Program for Re-entry Citizens was created to help Cleveland residents returning from incarceration find a safe, stable home and rebuild their lives outside of the confines of traditional low-income housing. Hope Stays is on a mission to end the chain of the unhoused, unemployed, and disconnected by providing returning citizens with not just shelter, but opportunity and support.
Since the start of Hope Stays, Richard and Valerie connected with the Leaders In Faith Together (LIFT) program, an BHITC initiative designed to mentor and equip community leaders making an impact in Cleveland. “LIFT has been such a blessing,” Valerie says. “They’ve mentored us, coached us, and held us accountable as we’ve learned to grow with integrity and purpose. The whole LIFT team has shown us what it looks like to build something that stands the test of time.”
Psalm 84 promises: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the highways to Zion.” The Smiths use something as ordinary as asphalt to encourage everyone they employ, meet and serve to journey with them on the road of faith toward Jesus. Thank you, Richard and Val, for your leadership! Keep paving the way!
