Our Impact: Stories

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…

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…

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…

“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…