Our Impact: Stories

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 As of right now, my probation has been revoked, and I am serving a sentence of ten months.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…

“Today I have a purpose,” says DeAnnah, 48. “I’ve never had a purpose, a dream, a goal. Now I have a lot of people behind me rooting me on instead of pulling me down.” DeAnnah talks about her life from her new digs at the 24-Hour Club in Dallas. But this is hardly the kind of “club” that may come to mind. The “Two-Four”, as residents call it, offers transitional housing and all-around support for people fighting addiction and seeking a fresh start. DeAnnah, battled a substance use disorder for 20s, came to know the Two-Four after she found herself…

Her former apartment was hardly ideal. Alecia Sanchez, a 70-year-old widow with hardly any family, shared her living quarters with rats—big rats—who had easy access through holes in the walls. This, however, is no longer the case. Sanchez is now safely ensconced as one of the first residents of The Oaks, the newest high-end apartment complex to grace the Dallas skyline. Located in the Oak Cliff neighborhood south of downtown, this senior living community has a unique feature. Affordability. The Oaks represents the culmination of years of planning to bring new, quality affordable housing to Dallas’s senior citizens, both those…

VOA Texas Supporter, Beverly Terranova (pictured left with her daughter, Marie and husband Gerald) gives generously to VOA Texas on North Texas Giving Day. In the throes of a global pandemic, VOA Texas has been truly blessed by the outpouring of support from donors and friends in the community. Beverly Terranova, 88 of Arlington, is one of many bright stars who shined their light in a time of need. Beverly’s connection to VOA Texas is personal, as her oldest child, Marie, receives support through the Individuals with Developmental Disabilities program. She was born with brain damage and can live on…

Terry is a happy man. He and his family are settled down with a home and all the goods that go with it. He’s also begun planning to bring in a little extra income with lawn maintenance skills he picked up some years ago. “Happy” and “settled” are not, however, words the Conroe, Texas, resident would have used to describe his family’s life a short four months ago. “We’ve been staying in hotels for 2 ½ years,” he explained. Their transition from living securely in a rental home to joining the ranks of the homeless came fast and without notice….

Quentin, 34, spent three years in the United States Air Force before being medically discharged from the military. Since then, Quentin has experienced multiple difficulties as a result of the mental and physical trauma he experienced in the military. He lost his job as a result of COVID-19 which made it difficult for him to pay his bills. Initially, Quentin came to Volunteers of America (VOA) Texas for help paying his bills and finding employment. “The staff at VOA Texas worked to make sure I maximized every opportunity within the organization to ensure my success.” Months after becoming a program…

“I was introduced to the THRIVE program through United Way. I was very excited. I thought to myself, ‘This is my second chance at nursing.’” When most of us hear the word “thrive,” we think of what it means to flourish or prosper. For Christine Taylor, however, to thrive means getting a second chance. That’s because when Christine joined VOA Texas’ THRIVE program, she found the way to make a long-ago dream come true: being involved in nursing. Christine, a single mom of a 9-year-old son living with autism, was introduced to THRIVE through the United Way of Greater Houston…