February 14, 2025

GEJ

Business Woman

Chicago woman turns life around through CTA’s Second Chance program

CHICAGO (CBS) — A Chicago woman has managed to turn her lifetime all over — from battling opioid addiction to becoming an case in point for other folks combating the exact same battle.

You could possibly even operate into her on your commute in her model-new work. CBS 2’s Sabrina Franza introduces us to Evelyn Barnes in a tale you can see only on 2.

“It is a entire new commencing for me.”

Evelyn Barnes made the seemingly unachievable — attainable.

Immediately after her mother died of aids, her grandmother took treatment of her and elevated her in Oak Park until…

“She had a coronary heart attack and died when there was no just one home but me and her,” Barnes stated.

Tragedy dug a dark gap.

“Began carrying out crime, grew to become main of a gang, joined in the spouse and children small business selling heroin.”

She served time — not acknowledging she was dealing with an addiction right until she was behind bars.

“I was so ill, and I could not fully grasp why I was sick, and which is why I was sick,” she claimed.

Then, a little something altered.

“Somewhere together the way, I figured out that I love dwelling.”

Evelyn checked into a shelter and signed up for THE CTA’S 2nd Chance Method — becoming a member of additional than 1400 other Chicagoans who have participated.

“A re-entry method for all those who have had hiccups in their past”

She didn’t just re-enter nevertheless she produced an entrance. Operating as a janitor for CTA in the middle of the pandemic — her frame of mind was often glass half total.

“So, I figure me coming to function, fifty percent full. Me cleaning up following them, half complete also, simply because if I failed to have to thoroughly clean up immediately after them it would be 50 percent empty. I would not have a work,” Barnes claimed.

Sabrina: Do you contemplate this a badge of honor?

Evelyn: I do. I do. I take into account this a badge that God blessed me with.

Doing the job her way up — she became a buyer provider assistant with CTA, and now, a recently appointed CTA bus operator who released her individual book on her wrestle.

“I fully grasp powerlessness. You find out that getting an addict, you learn that remaining an African American woman. But I do the job challenging to maintain the peace I received.”

Evelyn’s initial day driving the wheel for CTA is in two weeks.

The CTA is actively choosing for the next probability system. A lot more specifics on how to utilize can be uncovered in this article