Voices of Hope – Alfredo D.

“I’ve been working as a chef most of my life, earning a great living. But when Covid happened and we lost a major account, I didn’t have much money coming in, got behind, and couldn’t pay for things like updating my car tag. So one day, I got pulled over and ticketed for my expired tag. Unfortunately, I had a friend in my car that day who was in possession of drugs, so we were both taken to jail. That’s when I got a real education on how the justice system works. Since I didn’t have money for bail, I ended up spending 11 days in jail for an expired tag.

“While in jail, God spoke to me and said that while I was busy crying about getting a ticket, I was surrounded by others in there who had serious problems. He told me I was there to help them out. I started offering translation services to people who couldn’t speak or read English, so they could better understand their charges. And that’s when I learned about The Bail Project, an organization that pays bail for those in need – for free. The next day, I met with Mr. Washington from The Bail Project and he told me I should be released that very night, and I was. I was so thankful, but worried that I didn’t have money or a car and didn’t know where to turn. And that’s when The Bail Project referred me to Operation New Hope.

“I signed up for the Ready4Work program to get help with housing at first, but I ended up getting so much more. The entire team at Operation New Hope has been great. They saw my years of experience as a chef and immediately got to work helping me find a job. My job coach told me that the Clara White Mission was looking for a culinary instructor, and even though I had never taught before, they offered me the job because of my years of kitchen experience. I’ve now been on the job for 3 months, and I’ve learned so much. I love working for a nonprofit and I’m even teaching some other clients from the Ready4Work program who are earning their classical kitchen training certificate.

“I’ve been behind for so long, but now it’s time to put up and move on, so I’m now setting new goals for myself. I’m going to be operating a food truck soon and planning to earn my Certified Dietary Managers credentials. My parents are getting older and moving down to Florida soon, so I hope to get a job in a hospital and help take care of them down the road. It’s more than just about food for me – it’s about life! I want to make my food heal people. I’m so thankful for The Bail Project and Operation New Hope being a part of the my journey.”