“You have a lot to prove when you come from prison, people might look at you like you’re a bad person. I use that as motivation to keep getting better,” said Sidney, a young man who was recently released after completing a 3 year sentence in the Department of Corrections.
“You have a lot to prove when you come from prison, people might look at you like you’re a bad person. I use that as motivation to keep getting better,” said Sidney, a young man who was recently released after completing a 3 year sentence in the Department of Corrections.
Sidney met unCUFFED after a friend suggested he try it out and since that first meeting, the relationship has continued to grow. “There are a bunch of different programs, when you’re locked up, that you do to learn but also because they look good in court, like you used the time to learn and improve,” Sidney said “But with unCUFFED, it was different. It wasn’t a requirement. Me and John, we really created a nice relationship. I have a lot of respect for him and I really appreciate him being there for me.”
Sidney and John continued to meet each week and write letters, swapping stories and sharing encouragement. “He gave me certain scriptures and showed me different stories in the Bible about how people overcame a situation and how it related to what I was going through,” he remembered. Sidney said it was this motivation that helped him make it through and cultivate a desire to improve. “When you’re locked up, you feel overwhelmed and stressed out and you might feel like the world for you is done. It’s just good to know that people care enough to volunteer their time to come and see you and help you through this situation that you got yourself in.”
Sidney, who has been out of prison for about 2 months, said the transition back to normal life was challenging at first. “It was a little weird at first, not being locked in a cell,” he said with a chuckle. “But, I just got a good job and I am excited about that.” He has a good plan for his life, which he said he was encouraged to do by unCUFFED volunteers. He is learning various construction trades, like carpentry, and speaking with a friend’s father who is in the same industry to help prepare him for his larger goal. “I want to invest in real estate so I am trying to learn a few skills so I know how to evaluate and fix homes, so I know when I am getting a good deal. I want to just learn and invest my money wisely,” he said.
During the end of his sentence, unCUFFED wasn’t able to go inside the facilities due to coronavirus. Sidney said that time made him see how much he was looking forward to the visits with John. “I felt like he was trying to connect with me on a one on one basis, it wasn’t just about a program,” he said, “It just feels really good to have people who are genuinely there for you and who are sincere about that.” Their relationship has grown, and will continue to evolve, over time. “When I got out, I messaged him because I wanted to reconnect and told him I want to meet up but the coronavirus situation stopped that for a while,” he said.
Sidney is excited to be able to see John and to visit the church in his area which partners with unCUFFED. “I’m excited to be able to visit the church and John said he’d introduce me to some nice people there” he remarked with a smile. He knows he has a lot of work to put in for his future but he is certain that with his new job, the support of family and friends and the guidance from unCUFFED he received while locked up and since being released, that he is on a new path to success.
“You have a lot to prove when you come from prison, people might look at you like you’re a bad person. I use that as motivation to keep getting better,” said Sidney, a young man who was recently released after completing a 3 year sentence in the Department of Corrections.
“You have a lot to prove when you come from prison, people might look at you like you’re a bad person. I use that as motivation to keep getting better,” said Sidney, a young man who was recently released after completing a 3 year sentence in the Department of Corrections.
Sidney met unCUFFED after a friend suggested he try it out and since that first meeting, the relationship has continued to grow. “There are a bunch of different programs, when you’re locked up, that you do to learn but also because they look good in court, like you used the time to learn and improve,” Sidney said “But with unCUFFED, it was different. It wasn’t a requirement. Me and John, we really created a nice relationship. I have a lot of respect for him and I really appreciate him being there for me.”
Sidney and John continued to meet each week and write letters, swapping stories and sharing encouragement. “He gave me certain scriptures and showed me different stories in the Bible about how people overcame a situation and how it related to what I was going through,” he remembered. Sidney said it was this motivation that helped him make it through and cultivate a desire to improve. “When you’re locked up, you feel overwhelmed and stressed out and you might feel like the world for you is done. It’s just good to know that people care enough to volunteer their time to come and see you and help you through this situation that you got yourself in.”
Sidney, who has been out of prison for about 2 months, said the transition back to normal life was challenging at first. “It was a little weird at first, not being locked in a cell,” he said with a chuckle. “But, I just got a good job and I am excited about that.” He has a good plan for his life, which he said he was encouraged to do by unCUFFED volunteers. He is learning various construction trades, like carpentry, and speaking with a friend’s father who is in the same industry to help prepare him for his larger goal. “I want to invest in real estate so I am trying to learn a few skills so I know how to evaluate and fix homes, so I know when I am getting a good deal. I want to just learn and invest my money wisely,” he said.
During the end of his sentence, unCUFFED wasn’t able to go inside the facilities due to coronavirus. Sidney said that time made him see how much he was looking forward to the visits with John. “I felt like he was trying to connect with me on a one on one basis, it wasn’t just about a program,” he said, “It just feels really good to have people who are genuinely there for you and who are sincere about that.” Their relationship has grown, and will continue to evolve, over time. “When I got out, I messaged him because I wanted to reconnect and told him I want to meet up but the coronavirus situation stopped that for a while,” he said.
Sidney is excited to be able to see John and to visit the church in his area which partners with unCUFFED. “I’m excited to be able to visit the church and John said he’d introduce me to some nice people there” he remarked with a smile. He knows he has a lot of work to put in for his future but he is certain that with his new job, the support of family and friends and the guidance from unCUFFED he received while locked up and since being released, that he is on a new path to success.
“You have a lot to prove when you come from prison, people might look at you like you’re a bad person. I use that as motivation to keep getting better,” said Sidney, a young man who was recently released after completing a 3 year sentence in the Department of Corrections.
Sidney met unCUFFED after a friend suggested he try it out and since that first meeting, the relationship has continued to grow. “There are a bunch of different programs, when you’re locked up, that you do to learn but also because they look good in court, like you used the time to learn and improve,” Sidney said “But with unCUFFED, it was different. It wasn’t a requirement. Me and John, we really created a nice relationship. I have a lot of respect for him and I really appreciate him being there for me.”
Sidney and John continued to meet each week and write letters, swapping stories and sharing encouragement. “He gave me certain scriptures and showed me different stories in the Bible about how people overcame a situation and how it related to what I was going through,” he remembered. Sidney said it was this motivation that helped him make it through and cultivate a desire to improve. “When you’re locked up, you feel overwhelmed and stressed out and you might feel like the world for you is done. It’s just good to know that people care enough to volunteer their time to come and see you and help you through this situation that you got yourself in.”
Sidney, who has been out of prison for about 2 months, said the transition back to normal life was challenging at first. “It was a little weird at first, not being locked in a cell,” he said with a chuckle. “But, I just got a good job and I am excited about that.” He has a good plan for his life, which he said he was encouraged to do by unCUFFED volunteers. He is learning various construction trades, like carpentry, and speaking with a friend’s father who is in the same industry to help prepare him for his larger goal. “I want to invest in real estate so I am trying to learn a few skills so I know how to evaluate and fix homes, so I know when I am getting a good deal. I want to just learn and invest my money wisely,” he said.
During the end of his sentence, unCUFFED wasn’t able to go inside the facilities due to coronavirus. Sidney said that time made him see how much he was looking forward to the visits with John. “I felt like he was trying to connect with me on a one on one basis, it wasn’t just about a program,” he said, “It just feels really good to have people who are genuinely there for you and who are sincere about that.” Their relationship has grown, and will continue to evolve, over time. “When I got out, I messaged him because I wanted to reconnect and told him I want to meet up but the coronavirus situation stopped that for a while,” he said.
Sidney is excited to be able to see John and to visit the church in his area which partners with unCUFFED. “I’m excited to be able to visit the church and John said he’d introduce me to some nice people there” he remarked with a smile. He knows he has a lot of work to put in for his future but he is certain that with his new job, the support of family and friends and the guidance from unCUFFED he received while locked up and since being released, that he is on a new path to success.