Ruthie’s Story
“Hi, my name is Ruthie Stidham. I am 45 years old from Middletown, Ohio. I come from an arrested development type of family, which means broken home, domestic violence, unhealthy relationships, the streets, and a life of crime and chaos. I became comfortable with this type of lifestyle. It was normal for me. I did not know what normal was. It led me down the darkest days of my life and straight to prison for 7 years. When I was there, I began to change who Ruthie was. I wanted a normal life but did not know how to do it. I attended Sinclair Community College and earned two degrees: a community public service assistant and a correctional rehabilitation degree. I went to vocational school, completed a janitorial apprenticeship, and earned 120 certificates.
I always wanted to help people like me. They offered me a job and training in peer support. This is where I began my journey of healing and believing in myself. I had a plan; I knew what I wanted to do. The day I got released, I went to a sober living called Sunstone, and they referred us to Life Learning Center. This is what laid the foundation for my life. Life Learning Center taught me about myself and who I was again.
We had the best facilitator who always had our backs. She pushed us to thrive when we did not want to. She believed in us when no one else did. She was a helping hand. She wanted the best for her class. She had many available resources. She was an awesome person inside and out. Life Learning Center helped me with my car insurance, tattoo removal, a checking account, hygiene bag and food bags weekly, Dress for Success and The Hanger provided clothes for us.
What I gained from Life Learning Center was empowerment, transformation, and permanent change. It lets you be the change you want to be. You become the best version of yourself. You get the guidance, tools and support to break down those barriers that you developed. You will build a path of long-term success.
I am now a licensed peer support at Lumiere Healing Centers. I love my job and hope people like me. I give them lived experiences and hope for a brighter future. Some advice I would like to give others is to stay open to change. New chapters bring new opportunities to grow and learn. Believe in yourself and trust the process. Setting future goals and having clear ones can keep your focus. Lean on support systems and take things one step at a time.”
Ruthie
Life Learning Center Graduate Speaker