Six years ago, Adrienne was serving a sentence at the Kent County Correctional Facility. She was determined to get clean and sober after many years of drug addiction. Her determination to get better for her six children was the key factor in deciding to get involved in the New Beginnings program while in jail. While a participant in New Beginnings, Adrienne worked diligently with her career coach Julie to prepare for release. She attended weekly classes where she learned how to write a resume, search for a job, and interview. Adrienne and Julie worked together to address the additional barriers she was facing by finding secure transitional housing and food assistance. She was on a path to rehabilitation with the support of her career coach and mentor.
“Unfortunately I ended up back in jail after being released. But Ms. Julie stayed connected with me. She never gave up on me and mentored me. Everything that she did for me helped put me on the right path. Now, I am clean and sober! I am currently working a reliable job and have two of my children back with me.”
New Beginnings is a jail-based, trauma-informed program providing workforce and life development services, mentoring, and wrap-around support to justice-involved women in Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties. The program’s purpose is to reduce recidivism and increase the economic self-sufficiency of women returning to the community after incarceration.