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There’s a new nonprofit in town and in the first week since it was announced it is already making an impact in the Hope community.

Hope resident Jeff Yarnell has launched FRHC Replay as a response to help assist area students and their families with the ever-increasing cost of extracurricular activities. And for families, like Yarnell's, with multiple children in multiple activities, the assistance is a Godsend.

“It is something I thought about several months ago and really just never did anything with it,” Yarnell explains.

However, as he and his fiancé, Ivana Howard, know all too well, extracurricular activities certainly aren’t cheap – and especially when four of your five children participate in multiple activities each, he says.

“Everything is super expensive and every time she or I sit down to pay for something it is a crazy amount of money we are spending,” he says.

Sufficiently done with the exorbitant expense, Yarnell decided it was time to offer a solution to a conundrum all too many area parents regularly face.

Taking the plunge, Yarnell and Ivana launched FRHC Replay this week.

“She’s a big part of this,” Yarnell says. “I couldn’t do this without her.”

Shortly after launching the FRHC Replay Facebook page, the nonprofit organization received it’s official 501(c)3 status and now has an account established through First Financial Bank intended for monetary donations, Yarnell says.

Though it has been a whirlwind of activity, it is very much welcomed, Yarnell says.

Here’s how it works: FRHC Replay accepts new and gently used equipment, clothing and related items for area students participating in extracurricular activities but whose families are experiencing financial hardship. One-hundred percent of monetary donations, made through First Financial Bank or directly to Yarnell, go directly to FRHC Replay.

“If a student in the school system needs something and we don’t have it, I can purchase it,” Yarnell says.

Additionally, monetary donations will also be used to cover fees related to a student’s participation in activities, such as entry fees related to participation in dance classes, softball, band, etc…, Yarnell says.

Yarnell adds he will also have digital means to process donations via a digital platform, like PayPal or Venmo.

Those who request assistance can make an appointment to meet with Yarnell to pick up items, he says. Everything will be tracked, including who receives assistance and the type of help given.

“There are grants available out there for this kind of stuff and we are in the process of doing that, but that is a couple of months away,” Yarnell says.

Right now, the struggle is space as Yarnell figures out where to store all the items that are coming in. For now, he and Ivana are running the nonprofit out of their home, he says.

“I am talking to some companies about getting a 12 by 16 shed to start stocking all this stuff in,” he says. “We will see what happens and hopefully it grows big enough I can rent a building or possibly extend it to other school corporations.”  

Yarnell and Ivana are immensely grateful for the community’s support and are excited about the future of FRHC Replay.

“It feels great, I absolutely love it and I’m excited,” Yarnell says. “It’s gotten more support quicker than I ever expected, so I’m absolutely thrilled. I think it will go far and do great things for the kids.”

** For more information, visit FRHC Replay on Facebook HERE or email Jeff Yarnell at [email protected].