Who We Are
Sign of Hope is a faith-rooted, nationwide nonprofit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, established to restore lives through the trade of business sign making and installation. We exist for the men and women society too often overlooks — the returning citizen, the recovering addict, the veteran searching for footing, the survivor rebuilding from the ground up. We meet them with something more powerful than sympathy: a skill, a community, and a future.
Our work sits at the intersection of vocational training, workforce development, and human restoration. We are not a halfway program or a temporary fix. We are a launchpad for full reintegration into a life of purpose, productivity, and dignity.
Executive Summary
Sign of Hope Foundation is a nonprofit workforce‑development sign company dedicated to giving individuals leaving rehabilitation programs a real chance at rebuilding their lives. Many of these individuals are good people who have experienced trauma, instability, and deep emotional pain. Without job skills or employers willing to take a chance on them, they often fall back into hopelessness and relapse.
We break that cycle by providing hands‑on training in every major department of the sign industry — from computer design to welding to channel letter fabrication. Our trainees complete a full one‑year program and earn a “Ready to Hire” certification, with their profiles listed on our website for sign companies nationwide to contact.
To launch and sustain this mission, Sign of Hope Foundation is seeking $2,000,000 in working capital, along with equipment and facility funding. This ensures long‑term stability, multi‑year training capacity, and the ability to serve hundreds of individuals seeking a second chance.
Leadership Team
JR Buck
Founder & Director of All Signage Fabrication Departments
Email: jr@signofhopefoundation.org
JR brings over 30 years of experience in the sign industry, including sign painting, vinyl production, digital printing, metal fabrication, channel letter manufacturing, ADA signage, and full shopping‑mall interior/exterior signage packages. His expertise forms the backbone of the Foundation’s training curriculum.
Dawn Potts
Co‑Founder & Head of Rehabilitation & Workforce Development
Email: dawn.potts@signofhopefoundation.org
Dawn brings years of experience working directly with individuals in recovery. She oversees trainee onboarding, accountability, progress tracking, and the Foundation’s zero‑tolerance policy, ensuring a safe and supportive environment.
Founding Purpose & Social Impact
Many individuals leaving rehabilitation programs are not “bad people” — they are people who have lived through hardship, trauma, and a lack of structure or support. Substance use often becomes a way to escape pain, not a reflection of their character.
But when they complete rehab, they face a harsh reality:
• No job skills
• No one willing to hire them
• No path forward
This hopelessness is what sends many right back into the cycle they fought to escape.
Sign of Hope Foundation exists to break that cycle.
We provide training in:
• Computer design
• Digital printing
• Vinyl production
• Final assembly
• Sales
• Welding
• CNC routing
• Channel letter fabrication
• Full sign construction
• Installation processes
Within one year, trainees complete all departments and earn a Ready to Hire Certification. Their profiles are listed on our website so sign companies across the country can find and hire them. Most small sign companies outsource their channel letters to commercial manufacturers. Sign of Hope Foundation will take on that market — offering equal or better quality at competitive prices — while simultaneously training and employing individuals who need a second chance. We will reach out to thousands of sign companies nationwide, inviting them to partner with us, give back to their communities, and help change lives.
We don’t just build signs. We build futures.
OUR CORE VALUES
REDEMPTION IS REAL
We believe every human being is capable of change, no matter the chapter that came before. Our work is built on the conviction that no story is finished until restoration has had its say.
SKILL BUILDS DIGNITY
A trade is more than a paycheck. It is identity, pride, and proof of capability. We equip our trainees with marketable skills because earned dignity transforms lives in ways charity alone never can.
FAITH WITHOUT PRESSURE
We are honest about the faith that grounds our mission, and equally honest that our doors are open to every person regardless of belief. We serve, train, and walk alongside all who come — never requiring faith, always offering hope.
THE PATH TO SUCCESS
Workforce Development Model
Trainees rotate through all major departments:
• Computer design
• Digital printing
• Vinyl cutting
• Final assembly
• Sales & customer service
• Welding & metal fabrication
• CNC routing
• Channel letter building
• Installation preparation
• Zero‑Tolerance Policy
• No drugs
• No alcohol
• No violence
• No harassment
• No exceptions
One‑Year Certification
Graduates earn:
• A full skills portfolio
• A Ready‑to‑Hire certification
• A profile on SignofHopeFoundation.org
• Direct access to hiring sign companies nationwide
Equipment & Facility Plan
Your facility will include:
• Digital Printing
• Large‑format printers
• Vinyl plotters
• Laminators
• Fabrication
• Welders
• Metal brakes
• Shears
• Channel letter benders
• CNC routers
• Assembly
• LED modules
• Power supplies
• Raceway fabrication
• Acrylic and polycarbonate cutting
• Installation Fleet
• Bucket trucks
• Service trucks
• Trailers
Startup Cost Breakdown
A clean, bank‑ready table will be included here with:
• Facility lease
• Utilities
• Insurance
• Equipment
• Vehicles
• Materials
• Payroll
• Working capital (updated to $2M)
Phased Equipment Purchase Plan
Phase 1: Core Operations
• Vinyl production
• Digital printing
• Basic fabrication
Phase 2: CNC Routing
• Router
• Bits
• Dust collection
Phase 3: Channel Letter Production
• Channel letter bender
• LED stations
• Aluminum coil inventory
Phase 4: Installation Fleet
• Bucket truck
• Service truck
• Trailer
Funding Request
Sign of Hope Foundation is seeking:
$3,000,000 in working capital plus equipment and facility funding.
This ensures:
• Multi‑year sustainability
• Trainee stipends
• Staff salaries
• Materials inventory
• Equipment maintenance
• Fleet operations
• Expansion capacity
Market Opportunity
Most small sign companies outsource their channel letters.
We will:
• Produce them in‑house
• Offer competitive pricing
• Maintain high quality
• Serve thousands of potential clients
• Provide a social‑impact partnership opportunity