This was one of the many things I told myself over and over, sitting in my room at Madison
Correctional Facility, holding my acceptance letter for Dismas House. It was one of the most
important and hardest decisions I made for myself while incarcerated. Choosing to come back
to the area I’m from wasn’t easy. “People, places, and things,” they tell you. If you want a new
start, stay sober, and succeed, those are the basics you have to change. I rationalized this
choice by telling myself I’m from southwest Michigan, not South Bend. Risky business, but what
can I say? I like to live on the edge.
As luck would have it, it was the right choice. But I’m not giving myself all the credit for where I
am today. Dismas House allowed me to thrive in ways I didn’t know I needed. They gave me
structure and guidance as I started my journey. They provided a roof over my head and food in
my belly-things I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed until they were there. It had been a long
time since I’d felt secure in those basic necessities. But the things I hadn’t anticipated are the
ones that mean the most.
I had a family again. And a home. Big family dinners, fighting over dishes, and someone always
leaving hair in the shower drain. People I could confide in and lean on who didn’t judge me for
my past. They cared about who I was now and what I wanted for my future. Their faith in me
gave me faith in myself. I realized I wasn’t just the sum of my mistakes. I was me. And I
mattered. If these strangers were willing to believe in me, then I’d better step up and show
them their faith was well placed.
At Dismas, I became a state-certified Peer Recovery Coach. Thanks to their support, I now help
others rediscover themselves and prove they’re worthy of effort and care. I get to celebrate
their accomplishments the way mine were celebrated. I get to advocate for people, help them
find their strengths, and watch them live again.
Dismas also supported me and my partner in becoming business owners and building a life
we’re proud of. No more shying away from family because of bad decisions. Now, I get to hear
my kids say they’re proud of me and my family see me as the person they always believed I could be.
These aren’t things I could have experienced if I hadn’t made the risky decision to take a
chance on a place that took a chance on me. I graduated from Dismas House 363 days after
being released from IDOC custody. That being said, they still have to see my face. I’m around as
much as I’m needed-and sometimes when I’m not, just to bug them. I’ll be of service to Dismas
and the people it serves for as long as they’ll tolerate me. (This is said in jest-they love me !)
Even though I no longer reside there, Dismas will always be a place I call home.
Whitney Aalfs
Proud Dismas Graduate
