Each morning, Marlena begins her day with gratitude. “First, I thank God for waking me up and giving me another chance,” she said. It’s a routine she never imagined she’d have just a few years ago, when survival meant searching for food in trash cans and spending every dollar on drugs. Marlena’s life took a downward spiral in 2019 after returning home to care for her aging parents. When they passed away, grief pulled her back into addiction. Crack cocaine consumed her days, and as her resources dwindled, so did her stability. She lost her home, enduring years of homelessness—sleeping…

EULESS, TX – Volunteers of America Texas (VOA Texas) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lori Little as Chief Operating Officer beginning Monday, March 3. Little, a longtime leader in the affordable housing industry, brings significant experience in operations, finance, and risk management to her new role. As one of the nation’s largest providers of affordable housing, VOA will greatly benefit from Lori’s wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field. “We are thrilled to welcome Lori to the VOA Texas leadership team,” said Angela King, President & CEO of VOA Texas. “She has served as a VOA Texas board…

On any given day, Lyndon, 38, can be found doing what he loves most—talking about sports. Whether reminiscing about his time as an assistant coach at John H. Guyer High School in Denton, TX, celebrating his Hall of Fame induction for weightlifting, or competing with his Special Olympics bowling team, his passion is unmistakable. But Lyndon’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Diagnosed with down syndrome, arrhythmia, hypothyroidism, and a history of blood clots and gout, he has faced significant health hurdles. Additionally, the passing of his mother during the COVID-19 pandemic left an emotional void that has been difficult to…

When Oscar was told he got the job after his interview, he couldn’t contain his excitement—jumping up and down with joy. For individuals facing employment barriers, especially those with disabilities, securing a job can be a significant challenge. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is much higher than for the general population, making this moment even more meaningful. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me I got the job!” Oscar shared. “I’m so happy to have this chance to work and show what I can do.” Volunteers of America Texas’ Vocational Opportunities and Training Services (VOTS) Program is…

Step into a unique program helping incarcerated expectant moms in Texas. They join at seven months pregnant, learn about childbirth and parenting, and bond with their babies for three months. Then, they plan for their child’s care with trusted guardians before returning to jail. Explore their inspiring stories of love and resilience. Stephanie Flores Perez Q: Why are you incarcerated? A: I am incarcerated because I was transporting illegal people. Q: How did you learn about the VOA Texas MINT program? A: I heard about the VOA Texas MINT program after finding out I was pregnant at five months. Q:…

Step into a unique program helping incarcerated expectant moms in Texas. They join at seven months pregnant, learn about childbirth and parenting, and bond with their babies for three months. Then, they plan for their child’s care with trusted guardians before returning to jail. Explore their inspiring stories of love and resilience. Yesenia Garcia Q: Why are you incarcerated? A: I am incarcerated due to a poor choice I made trying to distribute drugs. Q: How did you learn about the VOA Texas MINT program? A: I was told about the VOA Texas MINT Program at the prison I was…

Step into a unique program helping incarcerated expectant moms in Texas. They join at seven months pregnant, learn about childbirth and parenting, and bond with their babies for three months. Then, they plan for their child’s care with trusted guardians before returning to jail. Explore their inspiring stories of love and resilience. Sheila Hiedeman Q: Why are you incarcerated? A: I was sentenced to 30 months for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute Fentanyl. Q: How did you learn about the VOA Texas MINT program? A: I heard about the MINT program during my pretrial when I was pregnant with my…

Step into a unique program helping incarcerated expectant moms in Texas. They join at seven months pregnant, learn about childbirth and parenting, and bond with their babies for three months. Then, they plan for their child’s care with trusted guardians before returning to jail. Explore their inspiring stories of love and resilience. Nadia Espinoza Why are you incarcerated? I was sentenced to 18 months for conspiracy to distribute and attempt to distribute cocaine. How did you learn about the VOA Texas MINT program? I learned about the MINT Program at FPC Bryan while finding out I was pregnant at 11…

Step into a unique program helping incarcerated expectant moms in Texas. They join at seven months pregnant, learn about childbirth and parenting, and bond with their babies for three months. Then, they plan for their child’s care with trusted guardians before returning to jail. Explore their inspiring stories of love and resilience. Angelina Rivera Why are you incarcerated? Originally, I was incarcerated for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine. As of right now, my probation has been revoked, and I am serving a sentence of ten months. How did you learn about the VOA Texas MINT program?  When I knew…

Urging Texas Legislature to Increase Pay for Direct Support Professionals FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN, TX – In a resolute step towards championing those who care for Texans with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), Time To Care: Save Texas Caregivers Now is proud to announce that Volunteers of America Texas has joined the coalition, further strengthening the statewide movement to address the urgent issue of underfunding faced by direct support professionals (DSPs) who tirelessly care individuals with IDD. The chronic underfunding of DSPs has not only compromised the quality of care provided to individuals with IDD but has also led to…