Voices of Hope – Anthony B.

Following a devastating personal blow in his early twenties, Anthony Bryant began drinking recklessly and was charged with a DUI. As a result, he lost his job driving as a street sweeper. Feeling lost and defeated, Anthony was referred to Operation New Hope by his probation officer and enrolled in the Ready4Work program in November 2014. “That’s the moment my life changed. I was hooked day one.”

Anthony sits taller with pride as he recalls the impact Operation New Hope had on his life. “I took advantage of everything the program had to offer. I soaked it all in. I started dressing professionally; I learned how to write a resume; I got the skills I needed to get my life on track. The program truly set me up to succeed. I was in such a dark place before, but after receiving counseling sessions for a full year, I really transformed.”

“It was game time when I left out of here… there was no more time for foolishness. And it didn’t stop when I graduated from Ready4Work and was hired at a local warehouse. After that, I bought my own house and started my own businesses – house renovations, barbeque and barbershop. I’m still running all three today.”

When asked about the future, Anthony said, “I just want to give back. I recently held a back to school drive at my barbershop Vibes on Plymouth Avenue. We gave out backpacks and free haircuts to the kids – it was great.” Beaming with even more pride he added, “And now I’m planning a job fair at the barbershop for homeless people in the neighborhood. I want to help them find work and give them a fresh haircut to set them up for success.”