Life-changing opportunities
Success takes on a new meaning.
Success at The Mission happens in so many ways.
Sometimes, success happens after many failed attempts. Occasionally, it occurs with a step backwards, followed by a few wavering steps forward on a long journey. Every so often, it begins when a major realization allows us to see ourselves in a new light.
Here are some of those success stories:
No Longer Looking Over My Shoulder, I Am Looking Ahead.
In his first year of college, Jason Williams was a student athlete. He didn’t like the program, though. So, he left college, planning on transferring to another school. “But I didn’t,” he lamented. “That was the worst mistake of my life.” Instead, he was drawn to the streets, selling drugs, making more money than he ever imagined. “It was all
Replacing Fears and Doubts with Passion and Purpose
As a child, growing up in Queens, Rafi Neal’s dad was in prison, and his mom “was going through her issues.” He paused, then added, as if to explain, “It was a back-and-forth thing.” His grandmother was the one touchstone in his life. “She was a church woman,” he shared, “with a deep calmness inside of her. She had a
Good Food is a Human Right – Carversville Farm, an interview with Tony D’Orazio.
We recently had an inspiring chat with Tony D’Orazio, co-founder of Carversville Farm Foundation, one of our generous partners. We learned more about his remarkable journey from the tech industry to establishing a regenerative farm dedicated to tackling food insecurity in the Greater Philadelphia area. Carversville is a non-profit farm growing certified organic vegetables and pasture-raised meat and eggs—all for
Behind the Scenes: Extraordinary Individuals Making a Difference – Arly and Eric
Life can present challenges for many in our community, but encountering Arly and Eric, two exceptional employees at The Mission, can brighten even the hardest of days. Arly Uz-Barragan coordinates our Food Pantry, while Eric Featherer manages the Thrift Store. Together, they form the welcoming faces that greet our community members with warmth and care, each playing a unique yet
Succeeding Here Is About Your Freedom
When Vida Wright, Vocational Development Coordinator at The Mission, talks with someone starting in our Behavioral Health Program who has been incarcerated and is still striving to recover, the first thing she says is: “Succeeding here is about your freedom.” She quickly adds, “Once you succeed in this program, you will have many freedoms. It can be as simple as
I’ve Been Called a Lot of Things Before…But Role Model Wasn’t One of Them.
When Lenny Territo was in high school, he said, “I started using drugs, hanging out with the wrong crowd, then got in some serious trouble when I was 20, so I ended up in State Prison.” He paused, then said, “I’m sure you’ve heard that story a thousand times.” Then in 2007, he stopped using for over a decade. “I
