Today we’d like to introduce you to Peter And Lorraine Perez.
Hi Peter and Lorraine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our Story: How JHP2911 Began
In 2018, while living in New York City, my sister Janet Correa and I, Lorraine Perez, found ourselves being drawn deeper into God’s presence. Though we lived in different homes, we attended the same church—God Embracing Ministries in Ridgewood, Queens. During our individual prayer times, the Lord began ministering to both of us, repeatedly bringing us to the same verse: Jeremiah 29:11.
Week after week, we would meet at a local McDonald’s to share what God had revealed. To our amazement, our notes—though written separately in different homes—were often almost identical, word for word. We knew without a doubt that this was no coincidence. God was confirming His calling over our lives: to step out of the church walls and birth a new ministry centered on hope, healing, and restoration.
One Sunday, our calling became crystal clear. We encountered a homeless man at church. He was drunk, his clothes were torn, and his presence was met with discomfort by others. But to us, he was a divine appointment. We bought him a meal, brought him clean clothes, and chose to sit with him during the service. In that moment, we realized this was exactly what God was asking us to do—minister to the forgotten, the hurting, the spiritually and physically homeless.
On December 17, 2018, my sister and I took a step of faith. We submitted our resignation letters to the pastors of the church, where we both served on the board. I had been ordained as a minister, and Janet had been ordained as an elder—but we knew God was calling us into something new.
That winter, we began walking the streets and riding the subways of New York City. Armed with brown paper bags filled with sandwiches, water bottles, and granola bars, we also wrote Jeremiah 29:11 on each bag, sharing not just food, but a promise of hope. At Christmas, we gave out 100 scarves and gloves, bundled with meals and prayers.
What started as two sisters with a shared verse and a burden for the broken has grown into Jeremiah 29:11 Hope Project (JHP2911)—a ministry dedicated to restoring dignity, meeting practical needs, and reminding everyone that God has a plan for their lives.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the greatest challenges I, Lorraine Perez, faced in the early days of the Jeremiah 29:11 Hope Project was opposition from within my own home. My husband, Peter, didn’t understand the calling God had placed on my life. He didn’t want to be involved in the ministry and often told me I was “crazy” for pursuing it. Despite the arguments and discouragement, I held tightly to what the Lord had spoken to me and my sister, Janet Correa.
With faith and determination, I moved forward. On January 30, 2018, we officially incorporated JHP2911, and by February 2018, we became a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Even while enduring conflict at home, I remained steadfast in my calling, trusting that God would take care of the rest.
My sister and I continued to go out into the streets and subways of New York City, feeding the homeless with sandwiches, granola bars, and water—each meal packed in a brown paper bag, lovingly marked with the words of Jeremiah 29:11.
Then something remarkable happened. Shortly after, Peter had a powerful encounter with the Lord. During that time, God spoke to him directly and instructed him to feed the homeless—not just with basic provisions, but with hot, nourishing meals. That divine encounter marked a turning point. What was once a point of division in our home became a source of unity and strength.
Together, we launched the JHP2911 Hot Meal Program. We began cooking meals in our own kitchen, packaging them with care, and going exactly where the Lord led us to serve. Before every outreach, Peter, Janet, and I would gather in prayer, seeking God’s guidance on how many plates to prepare and where He wanted us to go.
Since those humble beginnings, we’ve served well over 10,000 people—even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many services shut down. We remained on the streets, feeding the homeless and the community, because the need never stopped—and neither did the calling.
Through every trial and every victory, we have seen God’s promise from Jeremiah 29:11 come alive:
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
It’s important to note that both Peter and I work full-time jobs, while Janet is a retired NYPD School Safety Officer. The work we do through JHP2911 is not for recognition or profit—it is a labor of love and obedience. Every meal, every prayer, every step is fueled by our desire to fulfill God’s calling and bring hope to those who feel forgotten.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
God’s Mandate. To love God and the people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://JHP2911.com
- Instagram: Jeremiah2911hopeproject
- Facebook: Jemermiahtwentynineelevenhopeproject
