Category: Blog
Mentorship Saved My Life
My name is Amlak, and until recently, I lived through what seemed like an endless amount of poverty, violence, and prison. Although I am a product of these factors, I have come to realize that I don’t have to let them define me. Life has shown me that many people have lived through similar hardships [...]
A Rough Start
After serving her sentence, Tanya returned home to an unstable living environment. While incarcerated, her apartment was broken into, and most of her belongings were stolen or damaged. Tanya was left with little to nothing and felt like a stranger in her own home. Very quickly, Tanya realized that if she was going to have [...]
Changing Perspectives
George had been a hustler his whole life until the law finally caught up with him. He knew that something needed to shift, and when he finally became willing to change, he had a new perspective on life. George knew the reentry program he was referred to was not going to be easy, but he [...]
Stopping the Cycle
Kenneth grew up in the juvenile system living in detention centers for seven years. The cycle continued into adulthood after he was charged with a criminal offense. He was released on bail to reentry programming where he learned about substance abuse and was able to accept his drug addiction. Now 19, Kenneth has interrupted the [...]
Venturing Off Track
Al-Tariq and his siblings grew up in a single parent home. Raised by his mother and maternal grandmother, he excelled in school and avoided getting into trouble with the law despite his tough childhood. Al-Tariq received a full scholarship to a preparatory high school, but his curiosity led him to drug experimentation and hanging out [...]
The Wrong Crowd
Darris was the youngest of 10 children and lived with both parents until they divorced when he was 7 years old. As a teenager he started hanging out with the wrong crowd, dropping out of high school by the age of 16. Darris developed a drug and alcohol dependency which led to criminal activity and [...]
A Longtime Addict
Joshua was an active addict involved with drugs for as long as he can remember. He went to prison at 26 years old and did fourteen months on the inside. While in prison he made the decision to start a new life. He soon realized that everything in his life would have to change and [...]
Growing Up In Detention
Lonnie grew up in a single-parent home and was the middle child of three siblings. Because of his upbringing and the lifestyle to which he was exposed, he turned to the streets and got involved in criminal activities at a young age. By 13 years old, Lonnie was arrested and sent to a juvenile detention [...]
His Father’s Dream
Edgar was the first child born in the United States to a traditional Portuguese family. His father came here with a dream of great opportunity and a better life for his children. Edgar’s father taught his family to work hard, have faith, and realize their special talents. Instead, Edgar took some missteps and became an [...]
Faith Helps
Gary comes from a large family of nine, he is married and has seven children. He depends on his faith to maintain his sobriety. When offering advice, Gary recommends recovering addicts take one step at a time, and make sure God, your family, your church family, and friends are all part of your support system. [...]
