What does Burden to Blessing mean to Goshen Valley? Everything, according to the successes we’ve seen over the years. Our young men would agree. We’ve witnessed the most distressed young men tackle things they’d never thought possible before.
At Goshen Valley, a burden is defined as a deep reminder of a young man’s past, a dark place that’s hard to navigate and even harder to turn around. Sometimes a burden holds a tiny glimpse of the future. With a little bit of time and a lot of healing, a bright light can be found at the end of the dark and painful tunnel, revealing a blessing that is worth the journey.
That’s where Goshen Valley comes in. We transform lives through our dedication and commitment to our young men’s future. With much needed counseling, guidance and love, we turn men from lost to found. Each stepping stone is a challenge that leads to a much bigger achievement like graduating from high school, accepting a new friendship, or reuniting with family. With our help, our young men learn to take their burdens and turn them into true blessings.
Did you know that today there are 5,000 young men in the custody of our state, not by choice, but by the circumstances of trauma, abuse and neglect? We’re hoping to reduce that number significantly by helping young men take the many burdens that have ripped their lives apart and transform them into something bigger than themselves.
We’ve already done that with a number of young men. Their stories prove that their burdens don’t define their past and they can tackle the world one challenge at a time. Below are some of our favorite examples of Burden to Blessing:
Real Examples of Burden to Blessing
1. 2014 Report Card: Our report card is in, and it’s a great reminder of the progress our young men are making. Here are just a few examples: of the 143 classes taken, 134 were passed and 20 out of 28 students passed all of their classes.
2. Trey’s Graduation Story: Trey came to Goshen Valley a grade level behind and struggling to catch up. He thought his only option was getting his GED, but through the help of our Summer Academy, Trey caught up and earned his diploma in 2014.
3. Will’s Story: Will came from a dysfunctional family where drug abuse and violence were the norm. He’d been in and out of DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services) and wasn’t happy to hear that his next stop would be Goshen Valley. He was wrong. Will describes Goshen Valley as a family environment and has learned about healthy relationships and religion. He now plays sports like football and wrestling and is applying to college.
4. Josue’s Story: Josue worked since he was seven and moved to the United States completely alone. He worked until he was 14 when the government discovered that he didn’t have parents or anyone to take care of him. Josue is glad he no longer has to support himself and can focus on other things like school, becoming a citizen and applying to college.
5. Chase’s Story: Chase arrived at Goshen Valley when he was just 14. His childhood was a roller coaster of drugs, abuse and confusion. When his father went to jail and his mother left, he and his sister went to live with his grandmother until she too could no longer care for them. Chase entered the foster care system and then began his healing at Goshen Valley. Now he’s 21 and a college sophomore and a leader in the foster care system helping other young men find their purpose.
These are just a few examples of young men who have turned their lives around. What’s your favorite story? Read more on our blog and find out how Burden to Blessing impacts the lives of our young men.