Restore Hope Ministries Welcomes New Executive Director
TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 24, 2026) — Restore Hope Ministries is pleased to announce that Josh Geppelt has been named executive director. He will lead the organization’s mission to restore families in financial crisis to economic and spiritual vitality and will begin his role on Monday, March 2.
Originally from Tulsa, Geppelt brings more than 20 years of experience in homelessness prevention, housing stability and nonprofit operations. He most recently served as chief operating officer at TGTHR, a Colorado-based nonprofit working to end youth homelessness. In that role, he provided executive leadership over programs and internal operations, including finance, human resources, information technology, and data and impact.
“Returning to Tulsa in this role is both a professional calling and a personal homecoming,” Geppelt said. “I’m grateful for the strong foundation Restore Hope has built and excited to join a team so deeply committed to prevention, stability and hope for our neighbors. I believe homelessness prevention is one of the most effective ways a community can support long-term stability, and I look forward to listening, learning and building on the partnerships already in place.”
Prior to TGTHR, Geppelt spent more than 18 years at Denver Rescue Mission in a variety of leadership roles supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. During his tenure, he led large, multi-site teams, guided strategic planning initiatives, strengthened public-private partnerships and advanced data-driven approaches to homelessness resolution and housing stability.
“Josh’s rich prior experience and faithful leadership are well-suited to lead Restore Hope Ministries into our next chapter,” said Carly Putnam, president of the board of directors. “We are grateful to our partners and supporters for their engagement throughout this transition.”
In 2025, the organization assisted 1,644 families with more than $3.18 million in rent and utility support, distributed more than 329,000 pounds of food to families across the community, provided school supplies to more than 1,300 children and delivered Thanksgiving meals to more than 2,100 neighbors. Restore Hope also plays an active role in statewide housing stability advocacy efforts alongside municipalities, service providers and community partners.
“Restore Hope is in great hands with Josh’s leadership,” said Jeff Jaynes, former executive director and current Northeast District Superintendent for the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church. “I’m so excited to see him lead Restore Hope to a bright future. The people of the United Methodist Church welcome Josh and are excited to partner with you to help our neighbors in need.”
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About Restore Hope Ministries | Restore Hope’s mission is to restore families in financial crisis to economic and spiritual vitality. This mission is realized in our programs to reduce hunger, prevent homelessness, and provide emotional and spiritual nurture. In addition, we advocate for change on behalf of the families we serve, provide school supplies each August, and abundant Thanksgiving baskets in November.