An Easter Promise and a Life Transformed: Candice Greene’s Story
At Hope for Opelousas, we talk a lot about transformation. But every now and then, someone walks through our doors and reminds us what it looks and feels like to truly rise.
The Story of Candice Greene
Candice Greene first showed up at Hope for Opelousas as a 1st grader coming over to play during free time because her siblings were students at HFO, and she was too young to be in the program. After patiently waiting, she began our program as a 4th-grade student, curious, creative, and full of quiet potential. From the very beginning, she carried herself with an uncommon mix of humility and drive. A bright-eyed student who has always loved learning about topics such as Black History and math, Candice proved she could tackle any challenge thrown at her. She is a dreamer and a dancer, always keeping us on our toes in the best sense.
With Candice as a vital member of our Hope for Opelousas family, we've had the privilege of walking alongside her through the early years and all the way through high school. She has grown and excelled beyond our wildest dreams, not just academically but emotionally and spiritually. We've witnessed her ability to lean into hard moments and find her voice in the world. But for all that she has given to HFO, her most remarkable contribution has been returning to the very same building where she once studied to serve as a mentor to younger students following in her footsteps. In each step of her journey, from hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail to building relationships with our ministry partners in Lake Tahoe and at Kids Across America, Candice has used these opportunities to grow in leadership and service to others.
She is now in college and looking forward to seeing where life takes her. She has used her life up to this point to become the best version of herself, serving God and those around her to leave the world a better place. Her life is flourishing in this new season, and we are cheering her on every step of the way.
Candice herself is grateful for every experience with our organization. She shared, "Hope for Opelousas has shown me that love truly changes everything. I will build on the foundation Hope gave me, and one day, I can give back to help HFO provide these opportunities for more kids."
The Promise of Easter
This month, we celebrate Easter, a time when Christians come together to celebrate renewed life and the saving grace of God's redemption and love. This season is about how something that seemed broken or buried can rise again, brighter, stronger, and full of promise. And that's the story we see in Candice. Her life is a quiet resurrection, unfolding day by day, not in big, dramatic gestures, but in the steady faithfulness of someone who chooses hope, again and again.
This season, we're thankful for Candice. We're thankful for the thousands of small investments, moments, and people who helped shape her. And we're thankful for the empty tomb, the greatest story of hope the world has ever known, that reminds us why we keep showing up: because love changes everything.