The Love Your Neighbor Center (LYNC) has graduated its first Changing Lives Forever (CLF) class! Eight men completed the 18-week CLF program—a foundational part of the LYNC programming. They came together with the LYNC-CLF community to celebrate this monumental achievement.
“Seeing their progress and all their hard work being celebrated was so powerful and emotional,” says Crystal Wiley, Executive Director of LYNC. “It was emotional from the standpoint of the suffering and pain they’ve been through, but so happy and joyous, too.”
All of the graduates shared their journeys—from what led them to LYNC to where they are today. They shared both self-imposed and societal barriers and how much LYNC and CLF are helping them overcome those barriers.
“The level of trust they had to share their stories before a room full of people was just tremendous,” says Linda Clodfelter, who serves as one of the CLF facilitators. “We cried, we laughed, and we applauded. And now they feel in control of their lives—some for the first time.”
Interested in volunteering with LYNC?
LYNC needs people willing to serve alongside the residents. Volunteer opportunities include not only CLF but also a Bible study, a men’s group, a pizza or movie night, or any occasion—large or small, long-term or short-term—to be supportive and get to know the men.
