Reico Hopewell is #MadeForKnoxville.
Reico has built his life and career on healing trauma from the ground up. But he doesn’t just preach it. He lived it. After battling addiction and experiencing homelessness, Reico hit rock bottom. Thankfully, he had a village of supporters who encouraged him to believe in his worthiness for a better life and begin a path to recovery. He now works daily to help others along on their journeys toward healing.
Reico founded Hopewell Helping Hands, Inc to open up employment opportunities for men with a less than perfect background. Their services include minor repairs and upgrades to homes or businesses, from landscaping and painting to flooring and drywall installation. Hopewell Helping Hands addresses a key component to fighting recidivism with the simple provision of a job; but Reico’s passion for helping people goes beyond this to offer holistic care at The Mend House, a recovery home for men battling addiction. These men are offered a path forward through education, employment, spiritual direction, and above all friendship as they recover in community. Reico’s philosophy focuses primarily on equipping and empowering men, so they can break out of the cycles of their past and move forward. In addition to these endeavors, Reico is a certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor and offers help to those seeking to break addiction through individualized care and therapy. He is a graduate of the 2021 Leadership Knoxville class and Winter 2022 100Knoxville cohort.
“Equipping individuals with the tools they need to be successful – that’s how you build a community.”
In Their Own Words…
“As an entrepreneur, one of my biggest pivot moments was during the height of COVID in 2020. The men of the organization that I oversee were having a difficult time acquiring employment, so I purchased an S-10 pickup and a pressure washer and started what would become Hopewell’s Helping Hands. I was apprehensive about the new venture – but it has proven to be beneficial for the men, our organization and the Knoxville community.
100Knoxville gave me the opportunity to explore the needs of Hopewell Helping Hands, Inc. and introduced me to other Black entrepreneurs in the community who have the same goals for their business. Through mentorship and intense guidance from Kandis Troutman, I know I will use all that I’ve learned to better me and my businesses! Thanks Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and 100 Knoxville for the work being done on this project!!!! I give God all the glory!!!”
Interested in sharing your “Made for Knoxville” story? Submit here!
