Voices of Hope – Kedra C.

In 2019, I was working as a caregiver for an older woman. When she passed away, I was falsely accused of stealing from her and was eventually charged with a crime I didn’t commit. I lost all faith in the justice system and felt like I’d never be ok again. I gave up hope.

When I had trouble finding work after the charges, my parole officer recommended I check out the Ready4Work program. And I’m so glad I did. It blew me away. The people at Operation New Hope are so genuine. They gave me the encouragement I needed to keep pushing towards my goals. I received help with my resume and improved my interviewing skills. My job coach told me, ‘I can set you up with jobs, but you have to go in there and get it.’ I was determined, so I did just that.

I was open and honest during my interview with Ashley HomeStore, and I got offered the job that very day. I have been there for several months now, and I love it. The benefits and people are awesome. In all my years of working, I’ve never worked at a place where the company cares so much.

I now have a good job, bought a car, and completed my probation. That dark chapter of my life is finally over. I survived it! Had I not gone through all of those difficult times, I wouldn’t be who I am today. It made me stronger, and now I can be a voice for justice. My goal now is to give back and help others touched by the criminal justice system. There are still good people in the system, but so much is broken and reform is needed. I’m going to fight for what is right and try to help people who don’t have the support from family that I have.

Even though I was on a dark road before, there was eventually light at the end. Operation New Hope was able to pull me out of the darkness. I am hopeful once again. Operation New Hope helped me, and I have to use that same energy to help others too!