Blades of Hope
Summer is here! Huge congrats to The Reentry Playbook, one of our April 2026 grant recipients! They're using their $1,500 award to launch Blades of Hope, a lawn care and entrepreneurship program that puts tools, paychecks, and a real shot at a fresh start in the hands of returning citizens and high-risk youth right here in Chattanooga.
Founder Troy Rogers has spent 30+ years in public safety, reentry, and community healing. He knows firsthand that the people closest to the problem are often closest to the solution — which is why The Reentry Playbook is powered by credible messengers: formerly incarcerated individuals who turn their lived experience into a roadmap for others.
Our $1,500 investment goes straight to work: push mowers, weed eaters, and the gear needed to get a crew out the door and on the job. Within 30 days of funding, Blades of Hope will be operational — employing 1–3 returning citizens, providing workforce training, and delivering lawn care services to seniors and low-income homeowners who need them most. The goal isn't just clean yards. It's visible, tangible proof that second chances work, and that Chattanooga is better when everyone has a seat at the table.
