by Kenyon Little

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by Michael Hill

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by Kun Lyna Chan Tauch (Kay)

I remember the day I surprised my girlfriend with an apartment.

At the time, she didn’t know I had been working behind the scenes to make it happen. I wanted to give her something that meant more to me than just a place to live. I wanted to give us a place to begin.

I had no idea then just how much that apartment would come to mean.

I was introduced to Willing2MoveForward during a time in my life when having a little breathing room could make a big difference. They helped me with my rent, and that support gave me something I needed badly: stability.

I had a lot going on. I was rebuilding my life, working, teaching, taking on opportunities, and trying to figure out what the next chapter was supposed to look like. When you have a lot on your plate, something as basic as knowing, “My rent is handled,” can change how you carry everything else.

But what stood out to me about Willing2MoveForward was that their support wasn’t just financial.

They checked on me.

They wanted to know how I was doing. They wanted to know whether I was okay. They didn’t treat me like a bill that needed to be paid. They treated me like a person who was trying to move forward.

And eventually, that was exactly what I did.

They didn’t keep supporting me forever. They gradually weaned me off their assistance and helped me get to the point where I could take that responsibility on myself. Today, my spouse and I have been paying our rent independently for eight months.

That means something to me.

Not because paying rent is some extraordinary accomplishment, but because of what it represents. I went from needing help maintaining housing to being able to maintain it myself. I also walked away with something I didn’t fully appreciate at the time: a rental history that continues to benefit me today.

That is the difference between simply helping someone survive a difficult season and helping someone build a foundation.

Willing2MoveForward helped me get through a chapter without allowing that chapter to become my identity.

And that apartment I surprised my girlfriend with?

She’s my spouse now.

By the time this story is read, we will have welcomed a baby into our lives.

So when I look back at those keys, I don’t just see an apartment anymore. I see the beginning of a family. I see a moment when things started to become a little more stable. I see the kind of future that is easy to take for granted once you’re living it, but wasn’t guaranteed when you were still trying to build it.

That’s why I believe Willing2MoveForward deserves continued funding.

Their impact isn’t limited to the rent they helped pay. The real impact is what that support made possible afterward. It gave me enough stability to keep working, keep building, and eventually take the responsibility back into my own hands.

Sometimes people don’t need someone to fix their entire life. They need someone to help steady the ground underneath them while they figure out how to stand.

Willing2MoveForward did that for me.

They helped me move forward until I could do it on my own.

And now I’m standing on that foundation with my spouse, preparing to raise a child in the home that started with a surprise and a set of keys.

For me, that’s what their investment looks like.

Not dependence. Not charity without an ending. A bridge to something better.

The post The Keys to Moving Forward appeared first on Willing 2 Move Forward.

by Sophaon Som, API RISE

My journey through reentry has been one of the most challenging yet meaningful chapters of my life. After spending 23 years incarcerated, I was released with the hope of rebuilding my life, but the reality of reentry was much harder than I imagined. One of my greatest challenges was finding stable housing. After being released, I experienced homelessness and moved from one housing assistance program to another, trying to find stability and a place I could truly call home.

Along that journey, I was blessed to cross paths with Willing 2 Move Forward, and that changed everything for me. Ms. Carolyn, Michelle, Elysia, and Lori, have been there every step of the way. They didn’t just help me find a place to live—they helped me understand what it means to live independently and responsibly. They taught me about credit, budgeting, saving, and living within my means. They encouraged me to believe that stability was possible and that I could build a future for myself.

Their rental assistance played a major role in helping me get on solid ground. Because I was able to save, I eventually purchased a used car, giving me the mobility I needed to work, take care of my responsibilities, and continue moving forward. Today, I am proud to say that I have a full-time job, a rented room, reliable transportation, and a stronger sense of independence.

What started as a professional relationship grew into something much deeper. The support, compassion, and genuine care they showed me went beyond their job responsibilities. They became people I could trust and people who genuinely wanted to see me succeed.

I am incredibly grateful to Willing 2 Move Forward for being such an important part of my reentry journey. After 23 years of incarceration, homelessness, and uncertainty, they helped me find stability, independence, and hope. They played a huge role in helping me reach this stage of my life, and for that, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.My journey is still continuing, but today I am no longer just trying to survive—I am building a life. I am willing to move forward.

The post My Journey of Reentry, Resilience, and Gratitude appeared first on Willing 2 Move Forward.

by Arleen Dugmore

My name is Arleen Dugmore, and after being incarcerated for 25 years, I faced the overwhelming challenge of rebuilding my life and finding my place in a world that had changed so much.

When I was released, I spent 6 months in transitional housing as part of my reentry.  I was afraid of my new surroundings because everything felt foreign.  After those 6 months, I moved in with my daughter.  I didn’t have a job, and I began to feel like a burden because I couldn’t contribute financially.  I struggled with feeling like I didn’t fit in.

Then my friend Sophaon referred me to Willing 2 Move Forward.  That’s when I met Carolyn, Lori, Michelle, and Elysia.  From the moment I walked through the door, they welcomed me with the biggest hugs.  I felt safe.  More importantly, I felt that I could trust them to help me find my way.

They supported me in so many ways-helping me with rental assistance, building my resume, preparing me for interviews, connecting me with resources, and encouraging me when I felt like giving up.  Their compassion and consistency helped me believe in myself again.  They reminded me that I had value and that I was worthy of a future.

With Willing 2 Move Forward’s rental assistance, I no longer felt like I was a burden because I was able to contribute to my household.  That support gave me the stability and confidence to focus on my goals.  I was able to find full-time employment, buy a car, and become financially responsible for myself.

Today I am independent, working full-time, and building the future I once could only hope for. Willing 2 Move Forward didn’t just help me reintegrate into society-they helped me rediscover myself.  I met amazing women who genuinely cared about me, supported, me believed in me, and never gave up on me.  Along the way, I gained not only the tools to rebuild my life, but beautiful friendships that I will always cherish.

I am forever thankful and grateful to Willing 2 Move Forward, Carolyn, Lori, Michelle, Elysia, and everyone who believed in me when I was still learning to believe in myself.

My story is one of resilience, second chances, hope, and transformation. I am proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m excited for the future I’m creating.  Thank you Willing 2 Move Forward for being on this journey with me.

The post A Story of Resilience and Second Chances appeared first on Willing 2 Move Forward.