A Peoria man who believes a pivotal conversation in prison gave him a second chance at life wants to extend that second chance to others.
David Feltz is the founder and CEO of the Peoria-based nonprofit Second Chance at Life. He said, around five years ago, he found himself in prison after returning to drug dealing.
“I was sitting in jail and my life was kind of coming to an end…I was thinking about ending my life,” said Feltz. “And a guy had come up to my cell and just started talking to me, asking me what’s going on.”
Near the end of the conversation, the man told Feltz that it didn’t matter how long he was in prison, whatever the last day was, he could start over from that day. It’s a sentiment that stuck with Feltz.
“That’s when I kind of made a deal with God and said ‘if you give me a second chance at life, I dedicate the rest of my life to giving other people second chances, people you don’t know, people who don’t expect you to walk up to them and say 'hey man, I got you. I can help you get through this,’” he said.
The result is the nonprofit and a new re-entry program Feltz calls “From Street Life to Straight Life.” The program includes six months of weekly guest speakers and life skills classes on topics like time and money management, relationships and anger control. Participants in the program are also given a mentor to hold them accountable. Feltz says it’s important that the mentor is someone who has also had to re-enter and can relate to participants’ experiences.
“We want to see people who have the scars, who’ve been through it, who’ve been through the fight, actually turn around and say ‘hey, you know what? I’ve been through it, I can walk with you through it and help you get better,’” said Feltz. “Because it’s a better connection when you know someone’s been down in the shame, someone’s been down in that dark hole and it gives you hope and faith that they’ve come through it, so maybe you can get through it.”
Feltz said, during this early development phase of the program, he’s currently working with five men who will all likely be mentors for others. The program has helped the men find careers, stability and a support system over the last year.
Feltz said, after some time proving their commitment to improving, it’s important to help find a good paying job to lower recidivism and the chance of going back to jail. Feltz said, when many jobs available to those leaving prison pay $15 an hour, drug dealing and making $1,000 a day can be attractive to someone trapped in a cycle.
“There’s perks to working a good job. You don’t have to look behind your back. I don’t have to worry about the cops kicking in my door anymore. I don’t have to worry about people shooting me or robbing me or anything like that,” he said. “I believe that peace is what people kind of want, they want to have that adjustment. They want to be able to have that peace in life.”
For example, Feltz has seen some of the men in his program find jobs in construction and welding.
Feltz plans to launch the program in earnest in July, running classes from the Nannie Johnson Community Center, across the street from New Beginnings Church in Peoria’s Averyville neighborhood.
“I like it’s in a great location. I don’t want to be somewhere where people can’t reach us, I want to be in the communities with them,” said Feltz.
Feltz said the program is currently depending on corporate and community donations and funding. He believes lowering recidivism and getting more workers into jobs are benefits that pay for themselves in the long run.
“Those lives in return invest in our community, so they end up getting good jobs,” said Feltz. “You end up getting good employees. The crime rate starts to go down. People start being responsible. People start taking into account buying homes in the community, fixing up stuff. It’s a community investment, doing this.”
Feltz said, when the program launches, it’s open to anyone who feels they need to improve their life. He uses those recovering from addiction as an example. As a baseline, the nonprofit will require a $150 intake assessment fee, but the program will be free for those coming from prison.
“It doesn’t matter what they’ve done or where they’re at or how they act,” said Feltz. “Everyone deserves a second chance and I’m walking proof of that.”
