ZAC

When the Dream Center first met Zak, life felt like a dizzying maze. Zak could see the kind of future he wanted, but every step toward it was shaky. Addiction, homelessness, and uncertainty kept him unsteady—until everything changed the moment he learned he was going to be a dad. Determined to give his daughter a different life, Zak chose sobriety and leaned into the support of the Dream Center community. With encouragement, hard work, and—admittedly—a few too many energy drinks, he found stability, created a budget, and built a home for his little girl, Aria.

At our 2022 gala, we shared his first major milestone: Zak and Aria had just moved into their very first home, a moment that represented years of healing, growth, and perseverance.

Now, three years later, we’re grateful to share another chapter in Zak’s journey.

Zak shares:

"Over the last eight years, my daughter Aria and I have been part of so much here: dinners, classes, block parties, give backs, church, and sports clubs. When I talk about the Dream Center, I’m really talking about family. I’m talking about home. It’s been our safe place to grow together. It gave me an anchor- something steady to hold onto and a way to move forward with direction. The people here truly became our family. They check in on us, ask questions, and care. They also held me accountable to my dreams. I had to get a job, learn how to budget and save, work on my credit, and figure out how not to give up on long-term goals. They showed me how to break things down into steps, and then they walked with me, making sure I stayed on track. Together, we’ve celebrated huge milestones, like buying our house, reaching eight years of sobriety, and watching Aria start school. Today, life looks so different. I have restored relationships with my family, and they can trust me again. And now,I get to give back by serving at the Dream Center. When I first started, they were the ones I leaned on. Now, it feels really good that they can lean on me."