Celebrating Lives
Witness the incredible impact of NEXT STEP FOUNDATION through the stories of those we’ve helped. From individuals finding new beginnings after incarceration to children overcoming trauma, our success stories highlight the resilience and transformation made possible by our community’s support. Read their journeys and see how your involvement can change lives.
Success Stories from our Integration Program
Sam Grace
Sam was previously incarcerated for about 15 years. In jail for drugs, assault, illegal firearms possession, violence, terroristic threatening and auto theft, etc. Sam has done things people only see in movies.
Sam has lived his life on the wrong side of the law for most of his life. Now through our sister company Next Step Roofing & Contracting LLC. He has become not only a contributing member to his team mates success, but also a contributing factor to the success of the company. He went from just coming in and asking what he had to do, and now is learning his new role of Operations manager. He currently leads a crew of 9 young men who have also been previously incarcerated and is working with them to give them a chance at changing their lives as he has changed his. Sam was a sledge hammer in his past life and continues to be a sledge hammer now. Only difference is with his new found love for life and his walk with God, it has opened up his focus on loving others in a way that embodies who we want to be as a company at Next Step Roofing & Contracting. He literally went form smashing people to loving people and that who we really want to strive to be as a company. In so many of my previous jobs, we hear punchlines like "the client is always right", or "put the client first", but I have found that few really live by that and go the extra mile. Most people even the good ones, just are nice to people and call it a day. Sam truly cares. For example we had a client who got a stomach infection and was an older gentleman, and was hospitalized for a few days. As soon as Sam found out, he communicated with his supervisors to see what we could do as a company for him. He was racking his brain to figure out what would be a kind gesture, he asked should we send him flowers, a food basket, fruit, a card, what? It was cool to see how much he cared and his desire to do something that made that client know he cares. He ended up scheduling a meeting with the client and the supervisor when he was released from the hospital and the gave him a card signed by most of the office and had his wife cooked him a soup to aid in his recovery. We are proud to have someone like Sam loving on our clients and our crewmen. But while he loves he still maintains a high level of discipline.
Vanity Sua
I was raised by my grandparents who gave me nothing but unconditional love growing up. I was a good kid in elementary, always went to school, and didn’t get into any trouble. When I got to Intermediate school I started hanging around with kids that smoked, drank, did drugs, ditched school and ran away from home. I wanted the freedom and fun it looked like they were having, so eventually I started doing the same things too. I ran away from home, ditched school, smoked cigarettes, drank and did drugs all starting at the age of 12. Eventually, the state family court got involved and put me on probation. I was arrested numerous times for truancy and running away from home, so they threw me in to Detention Home every single time for not complying with my probation. Why would I want to comply? I was just a kid having fun. The last time I went into Detention Home, they decided not to release me back to my family and sent me to live with my Uncle in Utah.
I did really good in Utah for 2 years and was able to move back to Hawaii when I was 16. When I came back, I got in touch with old friends and started back where I left off and everything got worse than what it was before I left. I was addicted to drugs and living a life of addiction and crime. Eventually I caught my first felony charge at the age of 24 and went to OCCC for the first time. Then 6 more times again after that. I couldn’t stop living the life that I was living even if I wanted to. So in April 2020, my blessing in disguise came to save me. I picked up a Federal charge and was sentenced to 57 months in prison. I went to all the classes and programs the prison had to offer so I could better myself and it really helped with the way I used to think. I started to make better choices and had a clear drug free mind. I wanted more for myself and a better life.
In February 2020, I was released from prison and was having lunch with Maribel. She offered me a job here at Next Step in the office and to be honest, I was excited and at the same time very nervous, because I’ve never had a job in my life and this would be my first one. All I could think to myself was “Wow, GOD loves me and he wants to give me something better than what I had, all I had to do was leave my old life behind”…I don’t know any other people in my situation that have opportunities like mine, so I know I am truly blessed. I wasn’t going to quit, because that’s not how you grow. You grow when you stick it out and embrace your challenges.
I’ve been working here for over 7 months now and I know so much more than I did when I first started and it just amazes me. I know how to do estimates, write proposals and I learned tons of computer skills. Sometimes we have company barbecues where we all get to hang out with each other and just have fun. Our bosses are always here for us and love helping and watching us grow. We’re a family here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In summary
Vanity Sua was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months for armed car jacking, refusing to stop a motor vehicle in the 1st (In other words high speed chase), forgery with counterfeit money, etc. These are only the things she was caught doing, but has had a long list of things that she did regarding general violence and things of that nature, not to mention just being on the wrong side of the law for a very long time and a history of violence with anyone who crossed her path the wrong way. She was definitely a force not to be reckoned with. Since being released she has been part of the Next Step Integration program and is one of the newest office team members. As a Next Step Roofing & Contracting employee Vanity has demonstrated loyalty, restraint, dedication, perseverance, and desire to succeed at a level many “normal” people never reach. We believe this is in part due to the confidence she has in that she is loved and respected at Next Step and it allows her to accept criticism in a positive light. She also receives guidance from people who have been in her shoes, who work with her daily. But we still have the inside of making sure she doesn’t have a knife or a gun if you are going to provide constructive criticism. We are proud to have someone like Vanity in our program and being part of the team.
Mike Sanchez
Also, a previously incarcerated individual. Recently started working within our Integration program. He has only been with the company a few months, and started with zero skill in roofing, carpentry, etc. When he came on board, he said he could help paint and pick up rubbish. We love Mikes story because he doesn’t strike you as someone who will strive to succeed in the program. He actually was overlooked at times, due to his demeanor. So, we started him off just picking up rubbish and doing the hard stuff nobody really likes to do. He just kept going and did great. So, after a short while, we let him start learning how to tear off a roof. He slowly started to excel at this too. Now it was all eyes on Mike as his supervisors and crew members started to realize how dedicated he was to his job. The foremen started asking if they could take him to be on his team and would fight to get him on their team. He quickly learned so many other things. The thing about Mike is he doesn’t just do things and work, he tries to do things well and even when he does something well he is always analyzing what he did and how he can do it better. He accepts all constructive criticism and immediately adjusts, and does great at just following instructions, and then trying to understand the why behind his task. After just a few months, he also learned how to be an excellent shingle feeder. This is a great example because it is an easy task and most people can do it, but once Mike learned how to do it, he continued to improve the way he does it and went further than other people who do that task. He has learned how to do all aspects of a residential roof and is more than competent in making a roof water tight, nailing, hips & ridges, removing & replacing solar water heater panels, removing & replacing PV panels, became a great painter, patch work, light carpentry, fascia repair, etc. He is definitely a rising star. That is why we have this program and just bring people in, mentor them and give them a chance. We never know who will really run with the opportunity they are given. The best part is these individuals become, contributing members of society and to the community in general. The pride he feels in knowing how well he is doing from the positive feedback and support he receives daily, helps him to strive to be better for himself and for his family. He has gone from drinking all night and sometimes for days, to going to bed early so he can be fresh in the morning. He skips parties and going out with his old friends until the sun comes up. Mike Sanchez is the true definition of someone who has finally realized he is worth so much more than he thought. He is also very humble and when he is praised, he just says, “I was only listening”. But we see his efforts and dedication and our proud to have a guy as great as him on our team.