After 22 years with Didlake, Ruth is both a leader and a steady source of encouragement. She has long embraced the responsibility that comes with being the most experienced team lead at Little Creek. “I try to carry myself as a leader, to lead by example,” she explains. “I like watching employees grow, come out of their shell. It makes me feel good to put a smile on people’s faces.”
Her leadership style is rooted in empathy. She carefully matches each employee to tasks suited to their abilities, so everyone is set up to succeed. She promotes respect, patience, encouragement and Didlake’s mission. “Whatever they don’t do reflects on what I didn’t teach them,” she says.
Ruth understands better than most how life-changing an opportunity can be. Before joining Didlake, she struggled to find employment. After overcoming substance abuse and reintegrating into society, she faced rejection after rejection. “Even if I was qualified, my application would go in the trash,” she recalls. “I was labeled. Society didn’t play fair.”
Determined to rebuild her life, she sought help from her church and community organizations, eventually connecting with the Urban League—an introduction that led her to her first AbilityOne job at another nonprofit. The moment she received that opportunity, everything began to shift. “This job was my lifeline,” Ruth says. “It gave me stability, independence, confidence. It helped me get my family back.”
She joined Didlake in 2004 as a Janitor and was promoted in 2005 to Lead Worker. “Didlake has done a lot for me and helped me to be self-sufficient. Didlake and the AbilityOne Program gave me a chance to earn money and provide for me and my children.”
Over the years, she saved enough to buy a car after taking two buses to work. She purchased a townhouse in 2010, rebuilt her credit, paid off old debts, and became a registered voter again once her rights were restored. She embraced leadership training and grew into a respected supervisor. “I began to see there was light at the end of the tunnel,” she says. “I was able to put my life back together.”
In September 2024, Ruth attended the SourceAmerica Grassroots Advocacy Conference, where she shared her story with Members of Congress, advocates from across the country, and fellow attendees. “It was memorable and humbling,” she says. “At first, I was apprehensive because I was the only one with a substance abuse story. But we all had obstacles. We all had determination.”
Her speech at the Celebration of Stories moved the room. Ruth described how she has been drug-free for more than 20 years and how the AbilityOne Program helped her turn her life around. “This program… made possibilities turn into realities,” she shared. “It gave me security because I was rejected and had no direction… Because of the opportunity, the treatment, the support and the encouragement I got from the AbilityOne Program, I am back into society.”
A highlight of the conference was meeting U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett from Texas’s 30th congressional district. “When I heard I could meet her, I about jumped out of my skin,” Ruth says with a laugh. “It was something my heart desired.”
During the trip, her daughter proudly watched her speak publicly about her journey. “She said, ‘Mom, I’m so glad you got your stuff together and God is blessing us.’” For Ruth, that moment meant everything.
Her supervisors speak of her with deep admiration. Joe Lewis, Project Manager, who has worked with Ruth since her first day, says, “She brings experience, leadership and passion. The crew goes to her for advice.” Warren Freeman, Operations Manager, describes her leadership as coming from “pure heart,” adding that she always keeps possibilities at the forefront.
Ruth’s commitment to service extends well beyond her job. She is active in her church, enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her grandchildren and great grandson, and volunteers in prison ministry, encouraging others who are re-entering society. “You’ve got to give back,” she says. “I thank God for the opportunity to serve.”
Reflecting on her journey, Ruth says she is grateful every day. “Where you start doesn’t define you,” she says. “What matters is where you end. You just need a chance—and someone to believe in you.”
Through her leadership, advocacy and unwavering heart, Ruth ensures that the people she works with get that chance. And in doing so, she continues turning possibilities into realities—not just for herself, but for everyone around her.
