On Monday, June 8, close to 170 supporters of Oasis gathered at Ridgewood Country Club for a day of golf and contests, all benefitting the adult education, youth development, and basic needs programs of Oasis in Paterson. These golfers were joined by 30 guests and Oasis staff members in the clubhouse for dinner, a silent auction, and a live auction. As the evening kicked-off, all sat riveted by Jerilyn Wallace, who shared her very personal and heart-wrenching story. Jeri has changed her life, all with the help of Oasis. With her permission, we share her story with you today.

Hello everyone, and welcome.

My name is Jeri and I’ve been asked to share my life story with you and how Oasis has impacted my life. This is only the second time for me to do this, so bear with me – I’m nervous.

I had a really nice childhood with a loving family and house and all normal things.

At the age of 11-13 I was molested by a teacher, and in hindsight I now see the impact those two years had on my life. All my innocence, self-worth and dreams went down the drain.

By age 12 I started drinking and became an alcoholic instantly. I also started self-mutilating a lot – a few times I went too far cutting and needed stitches. I started cocaine pretty heavily and pills at age 21.

I was married twice and divorced twice, and I gave birth to two fantastic, beautiful children – Jesse and Nick. Hey, I did something right! Those kids were the only two goals from my childhood that I kept. But even though I loved them so much, I hated me more.

I worked for Supercuts nine years and was sober during that time, working up to Senior Manager of five stores. But after my second divorce I quit AA and relapsed.

I did cocaine and the dealer taught me how to cook it to freebase it and smoke it; but it was too much work so I started buying crack. A lot of it, and heroin and a lot of pain pills. I had three back surgeries, and pain. The doctor implanted a morphine pump inside my stomach for 24/7 narcotics. I had heart surgery. And then I stole crack from a dealer and he tracked me down and cut my eyeball in half, which left me blind. I had 20 stitches and an eye patch for six months.

I of course lost custody of my kids and fell deep into depression. I had many diagnoses and was on eight different psych pills. I got raped twice on the Paterson streets.

I basically lost my mind and was very suicidal and self-destructive.

I spent over two years in the psych ward. I got twelve shock treatments to try to shake depression away. I lost a lot of my memory. A judge ordered me into Greystone for a year.

After that I stole some money from my dad and went to Paterson for crack and never made it back home for six years. I tried an armed robbery and a cop came in during it. I went to jail for six years. I didn’t have a bed for over a year because of overcrowding, so I slept on the floor with rats and cockroaches.

Nobody visited me except my mom, my grandma and my daughter. She always believed in me.

So one day I’m looking out my cell window at the yard and people outside smoking, and no one’s on the basketball court. The ball is just sitting there, and I’m like, “C’mon, Jeri – everyone hates you anyway. What do you got to lose. Just take foul shots…”

So I walk onto the court and start shooting and getting my own rebounds, and I make, like, 45 out of 50! Cops and prisoners were screaming, “Check out the fat white girl Wallace!” (I was 260 pounds.) Everything changed that day!

When I got back to my bunk I prayed really hard to God, and I meant every word. "I need your help. I want to live and get out of prison. I’ll give you my whole life if you help me.” And I did and God did.

I read a lot of books non-stop. I exercised six days a week. I tried to eat better (kind of hard in prison). I lost 110 pounds. I read the whole Bible. I talked to God 24/7 in my head and I lived for God with integrity.

The last year of prison I got transferred to a halfway house in Paterson (go figure!) – Fenwick House, where actually a lot of Oasis’ students come from. So eventually my counselor signed me up for Workplace Readiness class at Oasis since I hadn’t worked in ten years. I begged her not to make me go. I didn’t want to walk the mile on Paterson streets.

But she made me, and my eyes were opened to amazing things at Oasis. Free food. Free childcare. There’s got to be a catch – what do they want from me? I have nothing to give them!

I saw women with little kids getting free diapers and baby clothes. I saw hungry kids with their moms getting free groceries in the Oasis food pantry and then come in the dining room for a free hot lunch.

I looked in classrooms and saw students sitting in front of really nice computers learning stuff. I peeked through a window and saw a daycare with kids laughing and playing – all for free!

I saw women graduating from English as a Second Language and GED and computer classes. They smiled with pride. Women who graduated from Workplace Readiness got a free business outfit with shoes and accessories.

On holidays hundreds of women and children came to eat a delicious meal, and they got free toys and a turkey.

I couldn’t wrap my head around this. In this town? Where I was raped and cut and arrested? Yep, in Paterson. And I finally felt at home!

Workplace Readiness class opened my eyes and heart to the possibility of working again and not just collecting my disability.

They helped me make a resume and professional people came in to do mock interviews with the students. I applied for the kitchen internship and got hired. It’s eight weeks of paid training and I fell in love with the job and duties and my boss Jayne and my co-worker Thelma and the people – the women and kids.

The employees at Oasis are like no other. They’re happy and respectful and caring. So my eight weeks ended and I lived in a halfway house waiting for freedom, but I prayed hard to be back at Oasis, somehow, some way.

About ten days before my release a job opening in the Oasis kitchen became available and Oasis called my counselor, asking, “Would Jeri be interested to work in the kitchen and get paid?” I just laughed and thanked God.

So I’ve been free since October 2013. I attended the ServSafe class taught by my boss, Jayne, the chef at Oasis. It’s offered to any woman interested and I passed my first time (very hard!). So I’m certified in ServSafe, and also I got certified in CPR for free.

My favorite part of my job is interacting with clients.

God gave me a huge heart. I’m just full of empathy and compassion and people feel that from me. Even with a language barrier we get each other. It’s the language of love and caring.

I like to help all the people feel welcome when they come to eat. I’m proud of the meals I cook and serve.

I’m so fortunate to have a real career at Oasis – it’s helped me achieve many of my goals. I saved for the past year and was able to buy my own car and pay my own bills and rent my own apartment.

I would not have these things without Oasis.

I know God led me here. I made a commitment to God to live for Him and not do drugs, and I have self-worth. I feel I’m helping the world a little bit by helping these women and children.

I love Oasis. I love myself. I love my freedom.

Everyone can help the world a little bit by helping Oasis. Please do what you can. God bless you.  Bye!