Written by Pamela Sanford (guest contributor)
When Jamie Rae Wright heard John Hope Bryant speak at Bishop T.D. Jakes’ International Leadership Conference, she had no idea that moment would become the catalyst for transforming her vision into a multimillion-dollar reality that would change countless lives.
As a domestic violence survivor who had experienced homelessness herself, Jamie understood the desperate need for safe, affordable housing for survivors and their children. In 2020, she founded Jamie R. Wright, LLC with a mission to provide survivor-led awareness, empowerment, and advocacy to underrepresented and historically marginalized communities impacted by domestic violence.
“My dream of building housing for domestic violence survivors stemmed from watching HGTV’s feature of my story of overcoming homelessness on their syndicated TV show House Hunters,” Jamie reflected. After purchasing her own home in Houston, Texas, in 2022, she became “unapologetically passionate” about helping other survivors secure housing as well.
But turning vision into reality required more than passion. It required capital, strategy, and guidance. That’s where Operation HOPE made all the difference.
The Power of Coaching and Community
Jamie’s Operation HOPE Coach, Pamela Sanford, became more than an advisor. She became a strategic partner who refused to let Jamie “play small.” Meeting at least once a week for months, Coach Pamela challenged Jamie with pointed questions: “What goal(s) are you trying to achieve in doing that? How would you sustain this or that? Did you think about this or that?”
“It was Coach Pamela’s guidance that I followed to begin searching for grant funding,” Jamie explained. “Coach Pamela challenged me, encouraged me, provided resources, and would not allow me to play small.”
Through Coach Pamela’s patient, stern, caring, and business-minded approach, Jamie developed the strategies and persistence needed to navigate rejection and pursue her ambitious goals.
Transformational Results
The impact of Jamie’s Operation HOPE experience speaks for itself:
– $4.1 million grant from the State of Oklahoma to build 13 homes for domestic violence survivors
– Additional $250,000 grant to provide financial literacy, homebuying coaching, and other key supportive services for survivors and their children
– A sustainable model that addresses not just housing, but the holistic needs of families rebuilding their lives
“I absolutely could not have achieved the $4.1 million grant and an additional $250,000 grant without Coach Pamela and Operation HOPE,” Jamie stated emphatically.
A Ripple Effect of Hope
Jamie’s success represents so much more than impressive funding figures. It is about breaking cycles and creating pathways to stability for some of society’s most vulnerable families. Each home will provide safety and security for survivors and their children, while the supportive services will equip them with the financial literacy and life skills needed for long-term success. This is a dream come true for Jamie.
“Despite facing numerous rejections, I persevered and was able to secure funding to build my first set of homes for survivors and their children fleeing domestic violence. My HOPE experience is directly responsible for the funding we were awarded.”
The Gratitude Factor
In Jamie’s eyes, the keystone to her journey is her coach: “If it wasn’t for Coach Pamela’s guidance, empowerment, genuine heart to see me win, and the encouragement she gave, helping me to overcome the obstacles and ‘no’s’ I had faced and the strategies she helped me create, the homes we are currently building would not have come to fruition.
Please, Coach Pamela, keep doing what you do—how only you can do it—and for whom you do it. I’m grateful to the Creator of the entire universe for you!”
To learn more about the HOPE Inside Disaster Program and other resources: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on X, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.