Dear Friend,

This Veterans Day, we honor those who have served our country and the many ways their courage continues long after their service ends.

Here at Journey to New Life, we’re proud to celebrate Candy, a U.S. Navy Veteran, Peer Support Specialist, and living reminder that progress is personal.

Candy served during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm era and was stationed in Sicily, where she was met with long shifts, constant movement, and lessons in resilience.

Years later, after trauma and hardship led to incarceration, Candy reached a turning point. She was tired of struggling and ready to face her past head-on. She knew she needed something different. Something healing, not just temporary. That’s when she chose Journey to New Life.

When Candy was released from prison on Thanksgiving Day, 2022, she stepped off a bus in Kansas City at 4:30 a.m. unsure what waited for her next.

But there she was, Sam from Journey to New Life, ready to bring her “home.” That moment, Candy says, was the beginning of everything changing:

“I thought maybe they forgot me… it was Thanksgiving! But there she was. That’s when I knew I wasn’t alone.”

From that day forward, Candy found community, purpose, and the chance to rebuild her life. She started in maintenance, ensuring every resident felt safe and cared for, and later became a certified Peer Support Specialist, walking beside others as they navigate their own journeys home.

Today, Candy’s journey includes her loyal companion, Bubba, a service animal who has become her grounding presence through every step of healing.

Bubba’s training was made possible through the generosity of Susan Spence, a longtime friend of Journey to New Life, who gave over $2,000 to fund his initial training, and Katie Funk of Happy Pawz, who donated additional time and sessions to help Candy and Bubba succeed.

Their kindness went far beyond funding a service animal. It created a bridge to healing. Because of Susan’s gift and Katie’s commitment, Candy now has the stability and companionship that allow her to continue her work supporting others.

Today, she leads co-ed peer support groups, helps women entering our program transition into Journey House, and brings a “no one left behind” attitude that traces back to her Navy days. As Sam puts it: “Since joining us three Thanksgivings ago, Candy has truly given us something to be grateful for. She embodies the heart of Journey to New Life — always putting the safety, dignity, and well-being of others first. Her compassion ensures no one ever feels alone or left out.”

This Veterans Day, we honor that same spirit of service — in Candy, in every veteran rebuilding their life, and in each person who believes in second chances.

Candy lives that belief every day by making sure no one is left behind. She reminds us that when one person moves forward, we all do.

Healing starts when someone believes you’re worth the effort.

You make that belief possible — one veteran, one journey, one new beginning at a time.