At Riverside House our primary concern is the client’s growth and experiences while in our programs. We recently checked in with one of our residential reentry clients, *Tyler Davis, who has been a resident at Riverside House since August 2015. While he once felt depressed and alone, Tyler shared with us how his time in our programs has given him new hope.
Before Riverside House, Tyler said his life was full of boredom and unhappiness. He had spent 24 years in prison and felt depressed at times. However, since his arrival at Riverside House six months ago, Tyler told our staff that he has started to feel brighter and better.
“I always craved a family atmosphere and in prison I didn’t get that sense of family,” said Tyler. Since being at Riverside House, he has been able to get back on track in a multitude of ways, including connecting back with his family.
In addition to improving his family relationships, Tyler says that the friendliness and the support of the staff have contributed greatly to his turnaround and inspire him on a regular basis.
“I haven’t always been around kind people,” said Tyler. “It’s refreshing.”
Although he was optimistic about a new beginning for his life when he first arrived at Riverside House, Tyler was surprised by the helpfulness of the staff and their dedication to his transition. He told one of our staff members that everyone at the program, starting with his case manager, has been very supportive helping him to feel happier and more comfortable in his new environment.
While all of the programs are individualized to each client’s unique situation, there are several programs that stand out to Tyler. He says that over the last six months, the most helpful courses have been the substance abuse class, employment class, and spiritual development class, which has helped him learn more about God.
*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the individual.
