Encouragement has made me realize a lot of things in my life,” said Toni (not her real name) during a recent phone interview. Now living and working in the community, Toni described the support she received from M2W2 volunteers and how they accepted her for who she is. “It’s not what people see, but what God sees,” she said.
When Toni left prison last summer, though, encouragement wasn’t easy to come by. The transition was difficult. The lasting effects of her conviction and sentence were taking an emotional and spiritual toll.
Understanding Toni’s need for post-prison support, her parole officer referred her to our No One Leaves Alone (NOLA) community reintegration program.
Through Allyson Johnson, an M2W2 Program Leader, Toni met Debbie and Laara, volunteers who offered her the encouragement she needed.
“I saw myself as a bad person,” Toni said. “They didn’t. They encouraged me without being judgmental. They guided me, made sure I was doing well mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.”
Toni described her volunteers as compassionate, kind, and understanding. “They go above and beyond,” she said. “They have the biggest hearts.”
The Big Picture
“At the beginning, I could see that she felt a lot of guilt,” Laara said. “There was a heaviness on her spirit.”
Debbie said she noticed that Toni seemed discouraged by the system. “We encouraged her to listen to what they were asking and do the work she needed to do. We wanted to lift her up so she could walk on her own two feet again, both spiritually and practically.”
“They made sure I was doing well mentally, emotionally, and spiritually”
The three spent time together regularly. They chatted on the phone and met over Zoom or in person. “We were able to be a listening ear,” Laara said. “We would encourage Toni and share scriptures with her.”
Debbie said, “I told her, ‘You need to go forward and see that the past isn’t your whole life. It’s in the rearview mirror and that’s smaller than the windshield ahead of you. The big picture is out front of your car.’ We were helping Toni choose what that picture will look like.”
A Foundation for Being Human
Toni is thankful to have people in her life to talk to and pray with. She said that Debbie and Laara guided her and helped her to grow to become a part of the community again in a positive way. “The most important thing is to have that emotional support,” she said. “That’s a foundation for being human.”
“We let her know that there are people who care and want to see her have a successful life,” Debbie said. “But also that she has to participate. It’s teamwork. It’s relationships.”
“When we meet with her now, it’s like a huge weight has been lifted off her. We can see there’s hope,” Laara said. “It’s been faith-building to see how God answers prayers and witness what he has done in her life.”
While NOLA helps people find work, housing, other basic needs, it also offers a safe place to emotionally process the journey from prison to the community. Toni said she was grateful for this, saying, “Fortunately, I didn’t need financial support, but the amount of emotional and spiritual support I received money can’t buy.”
If you want to make a difference for people like Toni, consider supporting NOLA as a volunteer or donor. Visit m2w2.com/in-community or contact our office at 604-859-3215 to learn more.