This month we are proud to spotlight Amy Velez!

Amy has dedicated herself to creating a better life for herself since day one of entering our program and our staff have nothing but wonderful things to say about her. Amy was a victim of domestic violence and ended up getting caught up in her partner's crimes. Due to her inaction and later participation, she was incarcerated for 6 years between 2016 - February 2022, then released on parole. While incarcerated, Amy was able to find the healing and structure she needed to escape the abusive relationship with her ex-husband. Initially, Amy was released with no support, but soon after her parole officer informed her that they had found our program and that she had already been accepted. She describes that moment as, “a blessing, …it was really a god-send for me to come here. …I felt like I had been given the safety I feel I needed and support, but also the freedom to go do what I wanted.” Within 2 weeks, she had secured a job and after 5 weeks she had her own vehicle. Her relentless determination has been an inspiration to staff and participants alike.

Amy had to face many obstacles upon release and describes her ankle monitor as her biggest mental hurdle. She said that parole has not been as big of an obstacle as she expected, saying, “if you work with parole and you show them that you are willing, …they give you the help and freedom [that you need]. …It also helped having someone I can see cares, and wants me to do better. …[Because] I made that choice to show everyone, this is who I am, my past doesn’t define me anymore, I feel like that took off a lot of the hinderances that other people face. …I really feel like I didn’t have a lot of hinderances, because I chose not to look at them that way, mindset is everything.” She went on to say, “I can be my own worst enemy at times. The past is the past and I get to choose who I am today and what I do today. We are all colored by our past, but at any point time you can change your direction.

Amy was asked for advice she would give to incoming participants and she said, “Take advantage of it, because there is so much you can get out of [the program], but you have to be willing. The program is not here to control you, its here to give you the structure that you need. …Just reach out and grab the help you are being offered. The program doesn’t really ask that much of you, they just want to help lift you up and send you flying. …I recommend this program to everybody that I can. …People can do it, it’s easy and everybody cares”

At the end of our interview she said, “I want to help reach back …and give them that little bit of hope that [program participants] need.” Congratulations Amy!