Jeff & Lisa’s Story
Jeff lost his mother when he was just 14. Overwhelmed by grief, he turned to drugs as a way to cope. By 16, he had dropped out of school and was living on the streets. His addiction eventually led to a jail sentence for drug possession.
Lisa grew up in a Christian home with loving parents but was very headstrong and rebellious. She married at age 16 and found herself in an abusive relationship. She moved to Branson and worked two jobs to provide for her two girls. This is where she met Jeff. Chronic health issues led to prescription drug dependence which spiraled into addiction. After her mother passed, Lisa wanted to change her life for the better, but struggled doing it on her own.
When Jeff was nearing completion of drug court, he was looking for employment. His parole officer introduced him to Elevate Work, a program designed to help individuals rebuild their lives. Jeff and Lisa decided to join the program together, but as it got closer Lisa grew hesitant. “They better not be judgmental, or I won’t go back,” she warned.
That first night, Lisa bravely opened up about her struggles with addiction. To her surprise, another student shared their own journey—without fear, without shame, and with absolutely no judgment. Throughout the course, Jeff and Lisa felt both supported and challenged. For the first time in years, they began to envision a future beyond survival. They connected with a local U-Haul business owner, and Jeff was offered a job. Jeff quickly proved himself and was promoted to Facilities Maintenance Technician, while Lisa worked in the office as a Customer Service Representative.
After some time at U-Haul, Jeff and Lisa’s transformation was undeniable. Family members in Michigan saw the change and invited them to join the family business. They took a leap of faith, made the move, and today, they are thriving—established in Michigan and are now homeowners!
Lisa credits Elevate Work for playing a pivotal role in their journey. “It helped me regain confidence in myself,” she says. “Elevate believes in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. The program helped us find our ‘why.’ Before Elevate, we lived in the past—full of regret, convinced we had no future. But Elevate taught us to develop an ‘attitude of gratitude,’ and that’s when everything began to change.”
In just five months, Jeff and Lisa’s lives have been completely transformed—going from poverty to financial stability almost overnight. They say, “Elevate Work was about more than just getting a job. We felt accepted. Taking a step forward gave us a foundation to rebuild our lives, and for that we are deeply and forever grateful.”
