There was a time when Sabrena would make empty promises to her young son.

She grew up in Denver, played in the orchestra in both middle and high school, competed in gymnastics and was a flier on Northglenn High School’s cheerleading squad. She earned her childhood development associate credential and Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, and was a lead teacher in area daycares for the 3 and 4-year-old littles.

But when her son’s father was released from prison and began engaging in “unsavory” behaviors, so did she. It resulted in a 4-5 year addiction to meth and fentanyl, and Sabrena asking her aunt to take her then-2-year-old son.

“I would go from hotel to hotel, stolen car to stolen car, barely getting by and shoplifting large items from larger stores to pay for my addiction,” she explained. “Which led to A LOT of charges and the cycle of bonding out, not showing up for court, and warrants.”

In 2021 Sabrena met a bounty hunter who told her she was capable of more. A friend’s mom also offered to get her help. She made multiple appointments at area detox facilities and would never show. When she made her last appointment, they told her if she didn’t show they wouldn’t schedule her anymore.

That May before her last detox appointment she bonded out of jail and cleared her warrants without anywhere to go or stay. The same bounty hunter told her, “There’s Bridge House.” She asked her what she needed (as many facilities wouldn’t accept her without money or proper documents), and was told, “just yourself.”

Apparently Bridge House was all that Sabrena needed, “They had the intern phase, they helped me with my paperwork, got me on payroll, helped me save money. They simply helped me.”

And helped her immediately, “It was intimidating at first. I had never been in a sober-living or work-first environment before. Everyone was so welcoming and understanding and there to just talk and reassure me that we would figure it out.”

And helped her more than once when she relapsed.

She started on the outdoor crew and became a team lead, “but I didn’t want to be a supervisor.

With my record I had a hard time finding work. Ready to Work offered a full time position in the kitchen, or a house manager position in Aurora. I live in Lafayette, so I didn’t want to commute to Aurora.

“I love what we do in the kitchen, the environment, and the understanding everyone has with everyone else.”

Now her son comes over on weekends and school breaks, “I’m now someone he can trust. Now if I tell him something, I do it and he knows that now. It’s definitely a good feeling.”

Sabrena is saving for a car so she can gain full-time custody of her son and get him to school. She will be off probation in May and when her felony charges are sealed she hopes to return to childcare work.

“Had I gone to another sober living program I wouldn’t have been as successful. I’ve referred quite a few people to Ready to Work. There’s nothing they won’t do to support someone. They give you all of the tools you need and situations to work through so you can set yourself up.”