At Chrysalis, we know that employment success depends on more than finding a job. For many individuals working to achieve economic stability, access to food provides the foundation needed to participate in training programs, attend interviews, maintain employment, and focus on long-term goals.

That is why Chrysalis is closely monitoring changes to California’s CalFresh program and evaluating how those changes may affect the thousands of individuals we serve each year.
CalFresh, California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), helps millions of Californians access nutritious food each month. Chrysalis serves approximately 8,000 individuals annually who are working to overcome barriers to employment, housing instability, and justice involvement; we estimate that approximately half of these individuals rely on CalFresh to help meet basic needs while pursuing employment and long-term stability.

Access to reliable nutrition is closely connected to employment success. Individuals are better positioned to participate in job readiness activities, attend interviews, and retain employment when they have consistent access to food and other necessities.

Hunger Doesn’t Wait—And Neither Can We

We are expanding our food-related resources because we know that consistent access to nutritious meals is essential to employment success. No one should have to choose between putting their energy toward figuring out how to feed themselves or working on their job search.

Chrysalis is also evaluating how we can best support clients as changes to CalFresh continue to be implemented. This includes exploring ways the organization may be able to assist clients in documenting participation in employment and workforce development activities when appropriate.

The post New Challenges to Accessing Nutrition first appeared on Chrysalis.

Over the years, David has been a critical partner and advocate to clients on their journeys toward stability and fulfillment in their work and lives. With a firm belief in Chrysalis’ mission, David has adapted with our organization over the years, wearing a variety of hats to support our work: promoting new initiatives, serving on the Board of Directors, facilitating staff trainings, and most recently, welcoming new clients at orientation. He was first connected to Chrysalis through his business community in Downtown LA.

“I was involved with an organization called the Downtown LA Breakfast Club. Every other meeting, we would have a speaker come in, and one day Karen [Baker] came in – she was the director of Chrysalis at the time,” David recalled. “Working downtown, [you could] see homelessness continue to grow and become a problem. And I was so impressed with what Chrysalis did. I called her that day and came down for a tour.”

Having spent his career leading sales and marketing in the office furniture industry, David leveraged his expertise to help promote Chrysalis’ emerging initiatives: “They were just starting Works [Chrysalis’ street maintenance employment social enterprise], and they didn’t have a sales plan for going about promoting it. It was a nice transition to help a little bit at that time. Then it proceeded from there.”

David’s involvement eventually evolved when he joined the Board of Directors, where he served for 15 years. During that period, he helped the organization navigate leadership transitions and expand office space at Chrysalis’ Downtown LA and San Fernando Valley centers. When he retired from his professional career, David stepped down from the Board but continued to be passionate about supporting Chrysalis clients.

He went on to become a program volunteer, facilitating new client orientation every week at the Downtown LA center: “My job was to introduce clients to Chrysalis and give them as much encouragement as I could that this program works and to stick with it.”

Across all of these roles, David has met hundreds of clients—learning about the obstacles they’re navigating and seeing them find success through Chrysalis’ job readiness program.

His biggest lesson? Perseverance.

“Every time I walk through this building and I see all of the people in the computer lab and the ones that I have in a class, I wonder, Could I have overcome the challenges they overcame to accomplish what they’ve accomplished?”

He shared that Chrysalis’ clients have broadened his understanding of the circumstances that unhoused and justice-impacted individuals are facing here in Los Angeles: “I didn’t realize the barriers that homeless people had getting into the job market. Hearing stories about drug use, alcoholism, losing their family… And then more recently, [Chrysalis has been serving more] people coming out incarceration. The things they’ve had to overcome are tremendous.”

David learned from clients he worked directly with in the classroom, as well as clients he met at Chrysalis events. One of his most memorable moments was at a book event that Chrysalis hosted. The author’s work resonated closely with the experiences of Chrysalis clients, one of whom was moved to share her journey with the group that day.

“She said the worst day of her life was when she lost her two daughters. The happiest day of her life was today when she got her daughters back. And then she brought them out to greet us,” David recalls. “It was unbelievable. It was so emotional.” 

These powerful stories of transformation continuously renewed David’s commitment to volunteering at Chrysalis. That sense of service was also deeply rooted in the example set by his parents, who spent much of their lives volunteering in their own communities.

“From the time I could remember until she passed away, my mother volunteered for Easterseals. She was involved in that organization forever,” David remembered with a smile. “And every Christmastime, my parents would volunteer at retirement homes and help with Christmas decorations. Dad would say, ‘We’re going to help decorate the old people’s home.’ And I said, ‘Do you know, Dad, you were probably the oldest person in that home?’ And it’s true, but that’s what they did. They were always helping people. Maybe that was the start of it.”

He continued that legacy by encouraging his grandchildren to take on Chrysalis’ cause as well. When his teenage grandson started a nonprofit organization that distributed food and hygiene items, David told him, “Boy, do I have a place for you.”

These health bags featured essential items in handy backpacks, and David knew that clients would find both the bags themselves and the items inside useful. He connected his grandson’s efforts with Chrysalis, delivering about 50 of these health bags every month to the Downtown LA center. After his grandson graduated from high school, David’s granddaughter continued the effort—this time, with health bags tailored to women’s needs as well.

Across multiple Chrysalis eras and initiatives, David has truly had a ripple effect on our clients who are facing the greatest barriers to the workforce. His dedication has helped open doors to opportunity for countless individuals, and we are fortunate that he will continue to be part of the Chrysalis community.

As he moves on to a new chapter in his life, he encourages those considering volunteering to take on his charge.

“Do it. I got more out of Chrysalis than Chrysalis got out of me. As a volunteer here, you will really get a lot of satisfaction because day in and day out, you will see the results of what you do.”

The post Volunteer Spotlight: David first appeared on Chrysalis.

Dante has had the unique experience of working with three of the four Chrysalis Enterprises business lines: Roads, focused on freeway maintenance throughout Southern California; Safekeeping, which encompasses housekeeping services and safe storage (also referred to as “The Bin”); and Works, which handles street maintenance for Business Improvement Districts.

We recently sat down with Dante to learn about his experiences as a Chrysalis client and team member. In our conversation, he talks about his journey of perseverance and the resources and community that have encouraged him to move forward.

Chrysalis: How did you first find out about Chrysalis, and why did you decide to give our program a try?

Dante: I first found out about Chrysalis in 2017 when I was in a drug program in the city of Venice. A lot of us [in the program] went to Chrysalis in Santa Monica. In 2021, I was trying to get my life in order again. I was in another program and went from there into sober living. I didn’t want to give up on myself, and I knew Chrysalis would be here for me. Chrysalis would be there to give me that head start.

Chrysalis: What did you hope to change in your life by coming to Chrysalis?

Dante: I just felt stuck on the streets. No way around it. I had no money for food—nothing. I couldn’t get out of where I was at. My grandma passed away when I was around 15 or 16, and I was homeless since then. I would bounce around here and there. A lot of my early jobs were mainly warehouse jobs. Sometimes their contract would end, and I’d have to find another job. I never lasted over three months at a job until working with The Bin. I felt good working that job for a whole year straight. And I want to continue with this [driving] job for a whole year straight and however much longer I can.

Chrysalis: What has your experience with Chrysalis Enterprises been?

Dante: When I got back in touch with Chrysalis in 2021, I was working with Roads in Santa Monica. I [later] started working for Safekeeping for a year, and now I am a driver with Works in the Arts District. Being on the Roads crew was fun. I liked helping clean up. We got to work alongside Caltrans [] as well. It gave me hope that maybe I could work with Caltrans one day as well. At Safekeeping, we would hold people experiencing homelessness’ belongings, loved ones’ ashes, important documents, paperwork. We keep [their items] in a storage bin and take their bin to them. It felt good to know that there’s even a place like that. When I was on the streets, I didn’t know a place like that even existed.

Chrysalis: Tell us about your new role as a driver with Works in the Arts District.

Dante: We meet in the morning to load up the trucks with fresh boxes of bags. We make our solution to clean out the back of the truck for the end of the day. We cover five zones in the Arts District, and we change all the trash cans, pick up bulky items (beds, dressers, etc.). We also sweep up the curb lines. Each day, we sweep up a certain zone, and if there’s another zone that really needs it, we sweep up that zone as well.

Chrysalis: What makes it meaningful to work alongside people who’ve shared similar experiences?

Dante: I have different driver’s assistants, and sometimes they’re going through some things. I can show them that I was once in their position as well and [encourage them] to keep coming to work every day. I can see myself – different parts of myself – through these people. It’s a good reminder to never give up on yourself and always try. Maybe I was in that position—I still am in that position sometimes. I need to hear it from someone, and it keeps me motivated.

Chrysalis: Are there other resources or services you were able to access as a client?

Dante: I also got my certification in welding through Chrysalis. They sent me to a place called ReIGNITE Hope. It was a faith-based program, and it was really awesome. We would study different types of welds. There are three different welds: Stick, MIG and TIG. I got certified in Stick and MIG. I always wanted to get into welding because my dad builds motorcycles, and a lot of people in my family do welding.

Chrysalis: How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

Dante: I like to listen to music, hang out with friends, or go to art galleries and music shows. I like skateboarding.

Chrysalis: What do you see as the next step of your journey?

Dante: I’ve just got to keep pushing forward. I want to learn as much as I can here and maybe even bump up to a lead and eventually a supervisor. I want to continue being open and learn as much as I can and see how far I can take this. I just don’t want to be back where I was in the beginning. I just have to continue showing up every day, and everything will fall into place.

Chrysalis: How has that consistency and stability impacted your life outside of work?

Dante: It’s kept me busy. It’s training me for the future. This is what you have to do in life every day: you have to work. It’s also brought me closer to my family. This is the closest I’ve ever been around my family. They say they’re proud of me and encourage me to keep doing what I’m doing—that it’s working and to just keep pushing forward, don’t look back. They’re happy that I’m working and doing something, and I’m not just on the streets. I feel they have more faith in me now than before, when there was a gap between us. I’m not just wasting away—I’m actually trying for myself and giving myself a chance.

Chrysalis: What advice would you give to new Chrysalis clients?

Dante: Always believe in yourself and never give up on yourself no matter what. Take what Chrysalis offers and work with them. Always call your Employment Specialist and try to get as [many] job leads and the little things that [Chrysalis] offers. Take advantage of it while you can. Find a permanent position so you’re not floating around. Just push forward. Keep coming back.

Chrysalis: Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself or your journey?

Dante: Thank you guys so much for being by my side and helping me get through this thing called life.

The post Before the Bell: Dante first appeared on Chrysalis.

Nancy first learned about Chrysalis through OneOC’s Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). She was intrigued by the organization’s volunteer listing: teaching job preparation classes to individuals navigating barriers to the workforce. Although nonprofit board service was a path she considered, she ultimately knew she wanted to participate more on “ground level” with an organization. This opportunity—getting to interact with and support clients directly—was exactly the type of work that excited her.

Soon enough, Nancy was teaching five to six classes a month at Chrysalis’ Orange County center. During Chrysalis’ four-part Job Preparation series, clients reflect on their existing skills and learn job readiness strategies. Nancy teaches three classes in the series focused on 1) the job search, 2) the interview, and 3) job retention, as well as one comprehensive class designed for young adults.

Nancy brings a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to her volunteer role, having last served as Chief Operations Officer at SCAN Health Plan. There, she supported older adults in accessing dignified healthcare and solutions for aging well. Her career and academic focus emphasized public health, giving her an awareness and appreciation for the unique health disparities and life circumstances that different populations face. At Chrysalis, we see that expertise show up in her deep empathy for the communities that our organization serves.

“I have professional experience that I can share through the classes… What I don’t have is a lot of the lived experience that many of the clients have: having had to wrestle with substance use disorders, having a justice system interaction, being homeless, being from a broken home. The way they approach the class—those experiences are part of them, they’re part of the fabric of their lives,” Nancy shared. “What I try to do is make my experience available in a way that makes sense, but also to really learn from the clients in the classroom, from their perspectives.”

Because Nancy approaches her role with such humility, clients can feel more confident in not only the program curriculum but also their own skills and expertise. One example that illustrates this is when Nancy’s classroom became a space where clients with lived expertise were able to take the lead. A client who shared that they were diagnosed with ADHD expressed that they occasionally have trouble with continuous listening at work and asked Nancy for advice. Nancy acknowledged that she didn’t have personal experience with ADHD, but still offered her perspective in a respectful and helpful way. Two other clients chimed in, sharing that they also have ADHD, and Nancy opened the floor to their expertise. She recalls, “They started supporting each other, and then we had a conversation about tactical approaches to manage that on the job. That was a great discussion that they all benefited from, but I certainly benefited from it, too.”

Part of what makes Nancy’s classes so engaging to clients is her willingness to put herself out there. She has expressed that she admires the bravery of Chrysalis clients re-entering the workforce, and they challenge her to be brave, too. One of her favorite Chrysalis moments is during a practice interview, where clients chose an interview question for her to answer on the spot: “I’m so glad I didn’t practice the answer. It was such a better conversation for everyone to give that feedback and also to see what it looks like to receive it.”

Nancy’s warm demeanor, collaborative approach, and skillful facilitation add color to the curriculum and clients’ experience. Completing the class series is the very first step in Chrysalis’ job-readiness program. When they are engaged and their lived experience is honored in the class series, they have a more positive outlook on the path ahead. The Chrysalis team is grateful for Nancy and the critical role she plays in changing lives through jobs.

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy first appeared on Chrysalis.

As cited in the study, individuals exiting prison experience homelessness at 13 times the rate of the general population, and more than 27 percent of formerly incarcerated people are unemployed—nearly five times the national rate.*

The Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department’s (JCOD) Breaking Barriers program, operated by Brilliant Corners in partnership with Chrysalis, was designed to address the dual challenges of homelessness and reentry by combining rental assistance, case management, and employment services. The evaluation confirms that this integrated model is working. But it also points to a critical truth: employment is what allows stability to last.

The evaluation highlights strong housing outcomes, with more than 80 percent of participants remaining housed after one year. In a region like Los Angeles—where high rents and limited supply make housing difficult to secure—this level of stability is significant.

At the same time, the report underscores persistent structural barriers: stagnant wages, limited employer willingness to hire individuals with criminal records, and legal restrictions that narrow job opportunities. These challenges make one thing clear:

• Without reliable income, housing stability is fragile.
• Even with subsidies, participants must eventually navigate rent, utilities, and daily expenses on their own. Long-term success depends not just on accessing housing—but on being able to afford and sustain it.

The Data Points to Deep Support and Employment as Routes for Success

A closer look at the evaluation reveals that the strongest outcomes are tied not just to housing placement, but to what happens after. Although the report notes that initial outcomes were mixed, 75 percent of program participants were earning above minimum wage at graduation. We expect wage rates for participants to continue to grow over time.

The report also demonstrates how outcomes improve over longer periods. Longer housing retention was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of employment at program exit among participants housed with a subsidy during the program: the probability of employment rose from 45 percent at six months housed to 61 percent at 18 months housed. Other findings included:

• Participants placed in employment or education far exceeded program goals, demonstrating both demand for and effectiveness of workforce services
• Most employed participants earned above minimum wage, signaling progress toward livable income
• Longer program engagement was associated with improved outcomes across the board, including housing retention and reduced likelihood of incarceration

Why Employment Services Matter

As a Breaking Barriers partner, Chrysalis provides job readiness training, career planning, and transitional employment opportunities designed specifically for individuals facing barriers to work.

More than 10 years ago, when Chrysalis joined the pilot for this program, we knew this partnership would model how organizations can bring their core expertise together and, as a result, ensure better outcomes for the people utilizing services. The RAND evaluation highlights that strong coordination between housing and employment providers is central to the program’s success.

This isn’t incidental. It reflects a deeper reality:

• Housing creates the conditions for stability.
• Employment creates the conditions for independence.

Participants don’t just need a place to live; they need a pathway to earn, grow, and sustain that stability over time. If we address only one side of this equation, we risk falling short of long-term impact.

Looking Beyond: Recommendations from the Beyond Incarceration report

The RAND evaluation also offers important guidance for our community.  While program design matters, broader economic conditions—particularly wages and housing affordability—continue to shape outcomes.

To build on the success of programs like Breaking Barriers, investment strategies should:

• Integrate employment services as a core component of housing interventions
• Support workforce pathways that lead to living-wage jobs
• Address systemic barriers that limit access to employment for justice-impacted individuals

Breaking Barriers demonstrates what’s possible when housing and employment services work together and at equal levels of importance. The RAND evaluation confirms that this integrated approach can reduce recidivism, improve housing stability, and create pathways to independence.

We are incredibly proud of our program participants and our work with JCOD and Brilliant Corners, with support from the California Board of State and Community Corrections. Chrysalis is committed to continuing to provide employment-focused services as part of the Breaking Barriers program. We are grateful for the opportunity to have something we believe in so deeply evaluated—and proven to work.

Find the full Beyond Incarceration report by RAND here.

* Lucius Couloute, Nowhere to Go: Homelessness Among Formerly Incarcerated People, Prison Policy Initiative, August 2018; Lucius Couloute and Daniel Kopf, Out of Prison & Out of Work: Unemployment Among Formerly Incarcerated People, Prison Policy Initiative, July 2018.

The post Breaking Barriers: What the RAND Evaluation Reveals About Employment and Long-Term Stability first appeared on Chrysalis.

Kendra is a Supervisor with a division of our employment social enterprise called Roads, overseeing freeway maintenance crews. Anthony is a Program Manager at our Downtown LA center, where he oversees daily operations in the lobby and often facilitates client curriculum. Nesta is a Senior Employment Specialist at DOORS, supporting justice-impacted clients with resources. As former clients themselves, they each bring their lived expertise to the work they do every day.

In this conversation, Kendra, Anthony, and Nesta spoke—plainly and personally—about what are known as collateral consequences of incarceration.

Put simply, collateral consequences are the legal and regulatory restrictions that can follow a criminal conviction—often long after a sentence has been served. These restrictions can limit access to jobs, professional licenses, housing, education, and other basic opportunities that many people rely on to rebuild their lives. The National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction reports 42,763 specific consequences.

Some collateral consequences serve a clear public purpose. For example, laws that restrict access to firearms after violent offenses, prohibit people convicted of abuse from working with children or seniors, or bar individuals convicted of fraud from positions of financial trust are designed to protect public safety.

But many other consequences are far broader—and harder to justify. Some apply regardless of the nature of the offense, the time that has passed, or the person’s rehabilitation. Others have little connection to public safety at all and make it difficult for people to work, secure housing, or fully participate in their communities.

What our team members describe below is how those consequences show up in real life—not just on paper, but in people’s well-being, sense of belonging, and access to opportunity.

The Moment of Reentry

When people come home from incarceration, they must immediately learn a new system, as well as meet society’s expectation of immediately getting on their feet. Our team members shared some of the challenges they faced when they first came home.

“I had been homeless for several years, and all I had was the clothes on my back. I didn’t know what to expect,” shared Kendra. She faced a five-year prison sentence but was given the option to reduce her sentence if she participated in a treatment program. As part of the program, she re-learned simple life tasks, chores, and a stable routine in a home with 16 other women. About this experience, she reflected, “It was a big adjustment for me—from having had so much freedom before, in a sense, being homeless. For me, that was a challenge: just to learn how to live again, honestly.”

Nesta faced a similar challenge, learning how to live as an adult for the first time.

“I was incarcerated from the age of 17 until last year. I never had a real job, so coming home, I really didn’t have a sense of direction. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” says Nesta. The transitional program Nesta enrolled in offered temporary housing and documentation assistance, but support was limited when it came to employment.

“I was just lost,” Nesta reflected on his early days back home. “When it came down to getting into employment or a work setting, I never had training or I was unaware of the skills that I actually had or equipped [myself with] over the years of incarceration, which can now apply in a job.”

For Anthony, he found himself lost in a more literal sense, starting over in an unfamiliar place without a clear sense of how to get the resources he needed.

“I’m not from L.A. and had been here a limited amount of time. I was 15 when I was incarcerated. I knew people in L.A., but I didn’t know how to get to them, I didn’t know where they were at. I had no idea where I was when I landed at Union Station.”

Hidden Barriers

These immediate challenges don’t just linger—they compound. Our team members highlighted the barriers they faced navigating new social environments, a completely changed technology landscape, and structural limitations for formerly incarcerated jobseekers.

Anthony’s immediate sense of feeling lost morphed into mental shock. For the first few months back home, Anthony highlighted some of the mental and social challenges he faced, such as “not being able to be in really crowded places or loud places or not feeling comfortable with people standing in lines.”

Beyond adapting to a new social environment, Anthony also had to navigate a completely new technology landscape with limited digital literacy: “When I was initially arrested, the Internet existed, but it was not commonplace. Most households didn’t have it. I was fortunate while I was incarcerated to become a clerk, so I had some experience behind non-network computers on older Windows platforms… But navigating the Internet to do anything like finding resources or filing my taxes or doing job applications, it becomes a nightmare.”

For Nesta, he was eager to work upon release but felt that restrictions set by his transitional program limited his opportunities. Transitional reentry programs commonly have blackout periods during the first 30 to 90 days, during which residents are not allowed to leave the facility as they get adjusted to their environment.

“Not being able to leave the program for a certain amount of time to actually conduct work, that job opportunity went away. So now I had to scramble,” Nesta recalls.

Kendra, on the other hand, did have the opportunity to apply to and get hired at jobs; however, her record seriously limited her chances at a long-term role.

“When I went to go get jobs, I would get hired and I’d work for two weeks. Then they’d call me the next day and say they couldn’t keep me anymore because of my record. I had so many missed opportunities [because of] my record that I had picked up in the past decade.”

Opportunities to Succeed

There are a host of obstacles that individuals face as they navigate the long-term consequences of incarceration. But there are also resources and opportunities that make the reentry journey more equitable and dignified.

For Kendra, more doors are now open to her after recently getting her record expunged—a process whereby courts dismiss arrests and convictions based on a variety of factors.

“It just gives me so much more opportunity. For example, when I was applying for apartments two months ago, I had to mark the box that said I’m a felon. Today, I can confidently mark that I’m no longer a felon, and it will help increase my chances of getting approval for not only that but also maybe renew my real estate license.”

Expungement may not be an option for everyone, but many organizations like Chrysalis offer comprehensive resources that help individuals succeed despite their record. As a Sr. Employment Specialist, Nesta connects his clients to transportation assistance (such as gas cards or TAP cards) as well as education and employment support (helping them complete their GED or high school diploma). These are resources that helped Nesta along his journey, and today he continues to pay it forward.

Beyond structural processes and supportive services, what truly helps individuals succeed is the goodwill of others who believe in them and believe in fair chances.

 “There’s a lot of people who…just don’t believe in fair chances. They don’t believe in second chances. They don’t believe in restorative justice. And they’ll get in your way,” Anthony shared of his experience. “But Chrysalis was the first environment that I was in regularly where I felt like I wasn’t on parole anymore. It built the consistency and the lane [that helped me go from] getting by to seeing me off parole in a successful career.”

Want to make a difference and support fair chances? Volunteering with Chrysalis will help individuals who are determined to get on their pathway to success. With 65 percent of Chrysalis clients reporting being justice-impacted, you could be a part of what’s needed to rebuild a life. Learn more at ChangeLives.org/Volunteer or sign up here to have an informational video sent to your inbox.

The post More Than a Sentence: The Real Impact of Incarceration first appeared on Chrysalis.

That’s how Michael felt when he came home from long-term incarceration.

He had fallen into the gang lifestyle in his teenage years and spent his youth in juvenile hall and probation camps. After returning in his early twenties, he continued the same path—coming in and out of prison until 2024.

While Michael was in prison, he made the decision to turn a new leaf. He earned his GED and began seeking out resources that would be available when he came home. One day in the prison yard, he found a Chrysalis flyer. It read like a message directed to him, and he decided to respond.

“I wrote a letter to the Chrysalis Pacoima office, and Mrs. Rose [Client Services Coordinator] actually wrote back,” remembers Michael. “She told me to come to the office when I come home—that she would be able to help with job readiness, career exploration, and other services that Chrysalis provides.”

From that point forward, Michael trusted the process. He was determined to have a better life when he got out, and he took every step necessary to make that happen.

“I happened to be in a situation where I was ready, and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Chrysalis saw that in me.”

Because Michael had been in and out of the justice system since he was a teenager, he had limited professional experience. Chrysalis supported him with fundamental job-readiness knowledge as a client, offered him transitional employment to develop on-the-job skills, and eventually hired him as a full-time supervisor.

His time working with Chrysalis’ Roads crew doing freeway maintenance was formative in his experience with team-building, leadership, and self-improvement.

“I just developed personally and professionally in ways I would not have been able to in any other job. Chrysalis was able to put me in a position to be a leader,” Michael reflected. “They provided me with the tools that I needed. They helped cultivate a culture of hard-working men and women who all wanted the same thing—who came to work and were striving to do better.”

With a supportive team in his corner, Michael found more than just resources—he found a community that wholly embraced him. This much is clear when he thinks about his face tattoos, many of which have now been removed but still serve as reminders of his past life.

Thinking of the barriers that his tattoos created elsewhere, Michael shared: “Any other job—nine times out of 10, I wouldn’t have gotten hired. Chrysalis took the opportunity to help me grow. They provided me with the tools that were necessary. They surrounded me with managers who took time to pour the love and the good work ethic into me. At Chrysalis, they sincerely want to see the best in you.”

This experience was foundational as Michael continued to develop his skillset and step into his life’s calling. After leaving Chrysalis, he started a career role at Alliance for Community Empowerment (ACE), an organization empowering San Fernando Valley residents with education, job training, housing, behavioral health, violence intervention, and advocacy. There, Michael serves as an Assistant Housing Manager and Reentry Specialist, supporting men who are coming home from long-term incarceration. Michael says his own journey made him realize he wanted to do more to support his community: “I didn’t just want to change myself, I wanted to change everything around me. When you come to the conclusion of I want to change my life, it’s contagious. I started to pick up on everybody around me who needed help. How can I help you? What is it you’re struggling with? What is it that I can do to help? Ultimately, that’s what turned into the job.” In his role, Michael helps participants with housing navigation and career exploration—paying forward the services he received at Chrysalis. For Michael, this work is personal and urgent. He knows firsthand the stigma that formerly incarcerated people face, and he wants to help them carve out paths of dignity, stability and success.

“Some of the biggest challenges are the stigmas about people who served long-term incarceration—that they’re violent, that they’re uneducated, that they don’t care, that they’re destructive, that they’re hateful and hurtful. That was the furthest thing from the truth because I knew that that wasn’t me. Those weren’t words that described who I was. I felt like I could advocate for this community better than anybody else because I lived it.”

As Michael supports others who’ve walked similar paths, he leads with vulnerability. He chooses to be transparent about how challenging, and sometimes defeating, the reentry journey was for him. By being honest about his struggles, Michael was able to get the support he needed at Chrysalis, and it continues to be freeing for him today.

“I’m purposely vulnerable about my failures and rejections because I feel like that sets me free. I don’t just do it for the people I serve, but I do it for me. It sets me free. It allows me not to get paralyzed with that fear or that hurt or that pain.”

Today, Michael is fulfilled and thriving. He has a career that he’s passionate about and one that provides him the financial stability to build the life of his dreams. He has dedicated his life to creating opportunities for formerly incarcerated people, the same way Chrysalis and ACE have done for him.

To folks coming home from incarceration, Michael wants them to know: “Be prepared for the setbacks, the mishaps, the failures, and the rejection. But be 10 times more prepared to recover from those things because it’s possible.”

The post Success Bells: Michael first appeared on Chrysalis.

She focused on regaining solid ground for herself and her children, one small step at a time. She put one foot forward: seeking mental health support from a nonprofit agency. And then another: following a referral to Chrysalis’ job-readiness program.

During that season, Vanessa leaned deeply on her faith as she found her way back to stability: “Even though my future felt unclear, I trusted that Christ was steadying my steps. Looking back on that period of my life, I wasn’t walking alone. I see the people He placed in my path: family and friends, alongside counselors, mentors, and advocates from organizations like Chrysalis.”

Vanessa was nervous about reentering the workforce, but she felt at ease when she arrived for her first job preparation class. Seeing people from all walks of life also navigating challenging pasts and choosing to forge ahead was both humbling and encouraging.

The structure of Chrysalis’ program put Vanessa on what she calls a “path of routine,” giving her the cadence she needed to rebuild. Transitioning out of a volatile period in her life, Vanessa found relief in the otherwise ordinary: “It gave me a place to be at. Okay, I have an appointment at this time, so I’ll get up, get dressed, go there. Okay, next time, I have to do this class—get up, get dressed, and go there.”

One day at a time. One foot after another.

At first, these steps felt small. But looking back, Vanessa sees that this is when the fog began to lift. Chrysalis’ staff listened without pressuring her to map out years into her future. Instead, they helped her focus on rebuilding the present. Eventually, her consistency turned into momentum. She started feeling like herself again, and she started feeling excited about the chapter ahead.

Thinking back to this period of newfound stability, Vanessa shared: “I began to sense that Christ was restoring more than my employment. He was restoring my confidence and sense of identity.”

As she prepared for a job interview with her employment specialist, her confidence returned. The position was in UCLA’s Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics Department, and Vanessa had neither medical experience nor a college degree. She worried these might be limitations, but Chrysalis worked with Vanessa to identify her transferable skills. Vanessa saw that her experience as a successful entrepreneur had equipped her with a skillset well-suited for the role. Chrysalis staff helped her articulate those strengths clearly, and she aced the interview.

Landing the job by highlighting her unique lived expertise affirmed something deeper: authenticity matters.

“You can build something meaningful out of your experiences. Not by pretending to be someone you’re not, but by recognizing that what you’ve walked through builds perseverance,” Vanessa reflected. “For me, that perseverance is not self-made. I believe it was formed through my relationship with Christ, strengthened through adversity, and reinforced by the community of people He placed in my life.”

Now working full-time, Vanessa has found a new rhythm propelling her forward. A year after completing Chrysalis’ program, she has maintained that momentum and found the breathing room to dream again, plan intentionally, and take meaningful steps toward the future.

In addition to her work at UCLA, Vanessa serves as a caregiver. While she did not intentionally seek roles centered on care and connection, she began to recognize how both positions were shaping her in unexpected ways. Through listening to patients, supporting families, and showing up consistently for others, she discovered that these roles were surfacing a deeper calling within her.

“Being able to connect with patients and really hear them out—unknowingly, that is helping me train toward my dream,” Vanessa shared, referring to her hopes of starting a nonprofit that supports women navigating trauma and rebuilding their lives. “These jobs have built up a muscle in me to listen, empathize, understand people’s stories, and simply be present.”

She continues to exercise that muscle daily at work, at home, and in her community. She has also taken tangible steps toward her vision by starting a women’s ministry called Along the Way. The name reflects the belief that growth unfolds step by step. It also honors the people and organizations (like Chrysalis) who walked alongside her during one of the most formative seasons of her life.

That journey was one that Vanessa navigated with presence and intention, and it’s how she continues to move through life. What she’s building next is still taking shape, but it’s rooted in something steady: trust in her faith, gratitude for the support that helped her stand again, empathy for others healing from hardship, and the resilience to move forward—one day at a time.

The post Success Bells: Vanessa first appeared on Chrysalis.

In the months following the fires, Chrysalis launched C-CREW: Chrysalis Clients Ready for Environmental Work, an initiative focused on helping people facing barriers to employment gain the skills, training, and paid experience needed to step into fire recovery and prevention jobs as well as environmental resilience jobs. What began as an emergency response has grown into a long-term workforce strategy rooted in resilience, dignity, and opportunity. 

This February, Chrysalis is piloting another training cohort! In partnership with Resilience Force, a national organization that trains and advocates for essential workers, Chrysalis put together a five-day, 40-hour wildfire prevention training designed to prepare clients for entry-level roles in fire fuels reduction and emergency incident response. The training combines classroom instruction with hands-on, supervised fieldwork and follows nationally recognized guidelines used by fire agencies across the country. 

Participants will earn certifications recognized by local, state, and federal agencies, including wildfire behavior, incident command systems, and firefighter safety fundamentals. Just as important, they will gain practical experience working as a crew—learning how to safely remove vegetation and debris in high fire-risk areas, follow environmental protections, and take direction from fire prevention professionals. 

This training builds directly on the work Chrysalis clients have already done since the fires. In 2025, Chrysalis trained more than 60 individuals in hazardous waste operations and piloted a resilience crew that worked alongside the Los Angeles Fire Department to reduce wildfire risk in the Sepulveda Basin. That work demonstrated something powerful: when given training and opportunity, people rebuilding their own lives can also help protect their communities. 

For Chrysalis, this is about more than one training or ramping up quickly for one season. Climate-driven disasters are increasing demand for skilled environmental and fire prevention workers, and these jobs can offer stability, career pathways, and living wages. Through C-CREW initiatives, Chrysalis is working to ensure that these emerging opportunities are accessible to people who have too often been left out of the workforce. 

One year after the fires, Chrysalis remains committed to a simple but powerful idea: recovery includes work, prevention includes people, and resilience is built when opportunity is shared. 

The post Building Wildfire Prevention Workforce first appeared on Chrysalis.

Six years ago, Eddie was on the receiving end of that flyer. While standing in line at his local corner store, Eddie overheard someone recommending Chrysalis to another customer. Looking for a new job at the time, Eddie joined the conversation and was surprised to learn the organization was just down the street from his house.

“I didn’t even know that [my neighborhood] had a program like that. I called and came in, and that’s what started everything,” remembers Eddie.

This was during the COVID-19 pandemic and, consequently, a precarious job market. Eddie had maintained steady employment since high school; he took pride in being a reliable and diligent worker. But things took a turn when business declined at the automotive recycling lot he had worked at for years—forcing the owner to sell the company. On the search for more stable options, Eddie reached out to Chrysalis and soon found full-time work in home repair and maintenance.

Last year, Eddie found himself navigating another challenging season. He had gotten laid off from his job of five years and was seeking a new opportunity. He was discouraged but determined, and he knew exactly where to go to rebuild his way back to stability, confidence, and a meaningful career.

“When I got let go from the job, I was devastated,” Eddie reflected. “But then Chrysalis welcomed me with open arms. Everybody’s very helpful, and if you need anything, they’re there for you. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel like somebody cares about you.”

Returning to Chrysalis a second time was almost a completely different experience for Eddie. This time, he was able to physically visit the center, connect with fellow jobseekers, and see the computer lab, classrooms, and clothing and food resources—all that Chrysalis had to offer. It felt brand new, but he did recognize one familiar face: his former Employment Specialist, David.

“He told me he wasn’t a coach anymore—he was a director. That was awesome because he deserved it. I advanced, and he advanced,” Eddie smiled, inspired by their parallel journeys. “That gave me motivation. And even though he was a director now, he helped me out again.”

Learning about David’s own career development and being able to access Chrysalis’ services in person, Eddie knew he had come to the right place. Without pandemic era limitations, he was able to get the full Chrysalis experience. He took additional steps to make sure he felt equipped for a new role—learning from both staff and his peers and ultimately feeling a deeper sense of accomplishment and pride.

“It was more satisfying because I had to really work for it: take the [job preparation] classes, take the time to get here, and focus. So the second time around, I appreciated it more.”

That focus and determination quickly led him to a new job and, soon after, a promotion. He started out as a freight stocker at Home Depot, but hoped to progress to a role where he could better leverage his people skills and expertise in home maintenance. Within two months, he was promoted to work in the paint department, where he enjoys interacting with customers and helping out with home projects.

Today, Eddie feels like his future is bright, and he wants the same for others. His story is a reminder that when people are given the tools to help themselves, they not only rebuild their own lives but also pass that opportunity forward—sometimes with a flyer in their back pocket.

The post Success Bells: Eddie first appeared on Chrysalis.