From Unmanageable to Unstoppable: Sierra C.

“I was tired of living the way I was living and being who I was—I wanted more for myself.”

Before StepUp, Sierra’s life felt unmanageable. She struggled with addiction, lacked confidence in her decisions, and couldn’t keep up financially. As a result, her life was in chaos, and she felt dependent on everyone else because she did not trust her own judgment.

Everything changed once she found StepUp. Through StepUp’s Life Skills program, Sierra found stability, confidence, and hope. She learned to trust herself, make positive decisions, and walk away from unhealthy situations. After 15 years of substance abuse, she is now in sustained recovery and rebuilding her life with purpose.

“I am learning more every day how to stay positive. I now walk away from things that are not best for me.”

Despite significant challenges—back rent, a suspended license, unstable housing, and strained family relationships—Sierra pushed forward. With the help of StepUp and our community partner network, she completed multiple educational certificates, caught up on rent, volunteered, faithfully attended recovery meetings, and had several charges expunged from her driving record through StepUp partner Legal Aid. She also reconnected with her daughters and began weekly therapy.

Today, Sierra is employed, managing her money, strengthening her support network, and finally believes she is worthy of success.

“StepUp helped me recognize my potential, manage my money, speak more positively, and handle my emotions better. I am now #1 with myself, and I have a network of people around me.”