[SUMMER 2021]

Joy first heard about The Coffee Oasis in the cafeteria of her school. She remembers thinking, “This is weird. Why do they want to spend time with me?”Joy was 15-years-old when she met Megan and Darrell at South Kitsap High School. Life was a mess. She was a frequent flyer at the juvenile detention center. Despite all her efforts, she couldn’t seem to make sense out of life. Friends were the focus of her life, but those friends were the ones that kept pulling her back into trouble.

“Coffee O really helped me get out of my troubles.”

Over the years, Joy regularly participated in The Coffee Oasis youth programs and her life began to change. She joined many events and activities—nearly every day. She found stability, support, and community. She completed job preparation classes and an internship through The Coffee Oasis job training program. She grew significantly in maturity and responsibility.

Joy is now 24-years-old. She wants to be a vet tech and is hoping to attend college next year. Her growth isn’t an overnight success story. It is a story of consistency and investments of hope along the way. Joy kept coming and The Coffee Oasis team kept caring.

Earlier this year Joy had a moment when she felt a big burden lifted. Through The Coffee Oasis, she was invited to attend the Summit Initiative Training. This training helps kids share their story. Joy was nervous that she would be judged when others heard her story. Instead, she felt a “great weight lift.” Joy said, “I realized that Jesus is here right now in my story. I’m not sure what I believe, but Jesus really showed me that he has always been there. Even when life was really hard.”