Michael’s Success Story

I’m a lifelong Utahn, and if you had asked me just a few years ago where my life was headed, I never would have imagined I’d be starting over after spending nearly a year in jail. When I was about to be released, I wasn’t just trying to figure out my next step. I was trying to figure out where I was going to sleep that night.

I reached out to family and friends, hoping someone might be willing to help me get back on my feet, but there wasn’t anyone who could take me in. I had made mistakes, and I understood why my family relationships had been strained. Thankfully, a social worker working with my attorney connected me with the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake’s New Life Program. As part of my court release, my judge allowed me to enter the Mission’s program in February 2025. At the time, it felt like my only option. Looking back now, I can see it was exactly where I needed to be.

Before coming to the Mission, I spent much of my adult life working, but I generally preferred keeping to myself. Living at the Mission with dozens of other people wasn’t something I thought I would enjoy. In fact, one of the hardest adjustments wasn’t being considered homeless. It was simply learning to be around people all the time after spending so much time isolated.

What surprised me was how quickly the Mission began to feel less like a condition of my release and more like a community.

The work therapy program is one of the most visible parts of life at the Mission. I started by helping in the chapel, organizing chairs, cleaning floors, and placing Bibles before services, before moving to the laundry, where hundreds of sheets, towels, and clothes are washed each day. Those jobs are important because they help keep the Mission running, and I appreciated the daily responsibility.

For me, though, the greatest impact came from the people, whether they were other members of the New Life Program, the homeless guests we served, or the caring staff.

I looked forward to meeting with my life coach, Steve Sell. He never told me what to believe or what decisions to make. Instead, he challenged me to examine my thinking and the direction I wanted my life to take. Pastor Speiss brought a perspective to Bible study that made the lessons practical and relevant.

When I entered the program, I wasn’t a Christian. I had read a little bit of the Bible over the years but had never seriously studied it. Today I have developed a genuine appreciation for God’s Word. Bible study became something I looked forward to every week. It gave me time to slow down, ask questions, and consider ideas I’d never really explored before.

One idea has especially stayed with me. God has helped me adopt the mindset of treating life’s difficulties as opportunities rather than simply as problems. That simple shift in perspective has changed the way I approach almost everything. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” I’ve learned to ask, “What can I learn from this?” and “How can Jesus help me grow through this?”

That outlook also led me to begin attending a church in Midvale after a friend recommended it. What I discovered there reinforced something I had already begun experiencing at the Mission. Church isn’t just about religion. It’s about building a relationship with God while becoming part of a community that genuinely wants to see you succeed and walk beside you as you rebuild your life. After spending so much time trying to handle everything on my own, I finally understood the value of that kind of support.

When I graduated to the employment phase of the New Life Program, another opportunity came along. I was hired to help open a brand-new Goodwill store in South Salt Lake. I was part of the team that transformed an empty building into a brand-new store, and that gave me a real sense of accomplishment. Today I work there full-time as a customer service representative. I’ve earned additional responsibilities and have been trusted with management approvals for returns and employee purchases. It feels good to know that someone trusts me with responsibility again.

Life isn’t perfect. I’m still on probation, and I know rebuilding trust takes time. My next goal is finding my own apartment so I can continue building an independent life. For now, I ride my bicycle everywhere I go. After everything that’s happened over the past few years, that freedom feels like a victory.

One of the greatest blessings through this journey has been my relationship with my daughter. She’ll soon be twenty years old and attends Southern Utah University. Even while I was incarcerated, we stayed in touch. We’ve talked every week since I entered the program, and she’s visited several times. Knowing she believes in me gives me another reason to keep moving forward. I’m also grateful that I’ve remained friends with her mother over the years.

Not every relationship has healed the same way. Some family members are still struggling with disappointment over the choices I’ve made, and I understand that healing takes time. But I’ve also experienced unexpected encouragement. My sister regularly checks in to see how I’m doing, and knowing that she supports the Mission makes that connection even more meaningful.

I graduated from the New Life Program in June, but graduation wasn’t the finish line. It was the beginning of a new chapter. I have moved into the Mission’s transitional housing, Freedom House, where I’ll continue making the transition from incarceration to independent living.

The Mission gave me far more than a place to stay. It gave me people who challenged me to grow and reminded me I didn’t have to rebuild my life alone.

To everyone who supports the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake, thank you. Your generosity provides much more than meals and shelter. You give people like me the opportunity to begin again. You make it possible for someone who feels like they’ve run out of options to discover hope, purpose, and a future worth working toward. I’m incredibly grateful for the second chance you’ve helped make possible.