My First Paycheck. My First Bank Account. My First Step.

From discouragement to dignity, one step at a time

“HopeWorks didn’t just give me a job—it helped me believe that real change was possible.”

What first drew me to HopeWorks was the opportunity to gain real work experience. I had a gap in my work history, and after applying for job after job without being hired, I felt discouraged. When I learned about HopeWorks, it felt like a door finally opening.

Since joining the program, my life has started to change in ways I never imagined. I’ve been working toward important goals—getting my ID, earning my driver’s license (something I’ve never had before), and opening my first-ever bank account on my own with one of my very first paychecks. That moment meant a lot to me.

I also went back to school to improve my reading and writing comprehension. I completed my first class and received a certificate, which made me incredibly proud. It reminded me that growth is possible at any stage.

I would recommend HopeWorks to anyone in the community who truly wants to change and grow. You have to want to leave the old lifestyle behind and step into something new. The Bible says that anyone in Christ is a new creation—the old has passed away, and the new has come. For me, that means holding on to Jesus and letting go of the past.

Something important you should know about me is this: I am a new man. I no longer live the way I used to. As Scripture says, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought like a child, but when I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” Today, I am striving to become the man God has called and destined me to be.

• Demetrius