In a room tucked away on the second floor of the Hope Builders Society office on Seventh Street, a group of people gathered, some helping themselves to fruit and snack trays along the side of the room, others seated and chatting.
In the front row, three women sat next to each other, nervously talking while inspirational music played over a speaker.
It looked as though it could be anything -- a reception or awards ceremony of some sort.
To six people seated in the crowd, it was the first step toward a new future.
That night -- Jan. 5 -- marked the first graduation ceremony for Hope Builder’s Journey of Hope program. It’s a six-week course designed to help people rediscover hope through building self-awareness, finding strength in connection, and more.
Director Sabra Onwuka said the idea to start the program came after years of working as a clothing closet called Helping Hands.
“We discovered there were things that we really wanted to do to do more… so that’s what led to Hope Builders,” she said. “Our first adult class was Journey of Hope, and these six people right here were the ones who started with us, and they’ve done an amazing job.”
Onwuka said she saw that people using the closest had lost their hope, and she wanted to help them build it back again. Along the way, she and other instructors also ended up learning a lot from their students.
In the new year, Hope Builders is planning to add an advanced hope class that will hold students accountable to the goals that they have set.
As part of the graduation ceremony, the six students presented vision boards and statements on what they hope to accomplish in 2026, now that they have rediscovered their hope. Many were recovering addicts who had found ways to start rebuilding their lives and relationships through the class.
Stephanie Blaine hopes to someday become a drug and alcohol counselor, though in the immediate term, she plans to continue working on her family relationships.
“I’m creating my own path because the path I’d been taking and following for so long was not the right path for me,” she said. “It took me a long time to get where I am today.”
She said grateful that she chose to get sober so that she could be part of her new grandson’s life when he arrives.
Cora Beth Eagan said that Journey of Hope, the Chosen House and her church family at St. Paul’s all supported her on her path as she stepped away from a 27year addiction.
She hopes to save up and get her own apartment and go visit the ocean again, but also, Cora hopes to keep rebuilding the relationships with her family. She’s reconnected with her daughter after 25 years and finally got to meet her granddaughter for the first time.
“As I’ve stepped into 2026, I choose to carry forward only the positive. This year is about intentional decisions about where my life is going and who I am becoming.
“It is the year of choosing stability over chaos, growth over fear, and purpose over the past,” she said, reading off her vision statement.
After their presentations, the students thanked the teachers who helped them find their hope again.
“On behalf of our class, we want to say thank you to you two ladies for helping us to come here with like no direction, and be standing up presenting a vision board and a vision statement. I mean, six to eight weeks ago, I don’t think any of us really saw a mission statement at all. So thank you, ladies,” Cora said.