The Turning Point
That decision led Kasun to HOPE for Prisoners. He enrolled in the Intensive Pre-Vocational Leadership Workshop, where for the first time, someone looked him in the eye and told him he was capable of more.
He worked closely with his case manager, applying for jobs again and again until something clicked. “It took three tries before I found the right fit,” Kasun remembers. “But HOPE didn’t give up on me, and I didn’t give up either.”
With support and accountability, Kasun pressed on. He enrolled at AHERN ACT, one of HOPE’s training partners, and threw himself into earning his Commercial Driver’s License. “That’s what made me stay focused,” he says. “If I was going to do something, I was going to do it right this time.”
His persistence paid off: Kasun was hired by Cook’s Truck and Tractor, where he now drives a street sweeper. It’s steady, honest work that gives him something far more valuable than a paycheck. “I don’t have to look over my shoulder anymore. Nobody can take this away from me, it’s mine because I earned it the right way.”
But the work doesn’t stop with a job. Kasun still shows up to weekly HOPE huddles, where he draws strength and wisdom from a community of men and women walking the same road. “I like to listen to people’s stories,” he says. “Some had it worse, some didn’t, but hearing them helps me keep going.”
For His Children, For His Future
Kasun is now 30, raising an 8-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter. He still remembers how he used to justify hustling by saying it was “for the kids.” Now, he says, “It’s different. I can actually be there for them. That’s what matters most.”
HOPE also gave Kasun the courage to dream bigger. He’s working toward his business license, imagining the day he’ll open a company of his own. His story is proof that transformation doesn’t happen overnight, it takes patience, perseverance, and people who believe in you when you’re not sure you believe in yourself.
This Is Where You Come In
Kasun’s journey is not just about him. It’s about you, the people who make HOPE for Prisoners possible.
Every monthly gift provides the training, mentorship, and second chances that help men like Kasun build an honest life. And right now, your impact goes even further. A generous donor has pledged to match every $15 for 15 monthly gift, up to $1,000 per month for an entire year.
That means when you join our “$15 for 15” Monthly Support Club, you’re not just helping one person, you’re doubling your impact.
Think about it: somewhere right now, another man is sitting on a couch like Kasun did, tired of hustling, ready for change but unsure where to turn. Your gift makes it possible for HOPE to be there when he decides, “I’m done with that.”
