Zyon’s Testimony

Living in Dayton, Ohio all of my life and being involved in so many things the community has always been a warm experience for me and others who also feel so connected to our city. But actually watching what great things that are taking place in this community firsthand, has me in awe every day! And not only because I work here but because I am a product of this community and I suffered through the struggles and barriers that have been set in place for Northwest Dayton along with my fellow ‘Daytonians’. But now is the time to rejoice and thank The Lord that hopes is on the horizon! We have people in the field and behind the scenes that are working day in and day out to make sure our community struggles no more and that there are opportunities for our families and individuals to get the help and resources they need and deserve without having to run into so many obstacles.

My name is Zyon Zachery-Buycks and I am an individual who is receiving help and resources from the Omega CDC but I am also behind the scenes helping individuals, children, and families. My journey with Omega CDC started out just being another kid attending Awanna, Camp Kumba, and Freedom Schools. While attending these summer camps, I also have always attended Omega Baptist church. I went through high school, graduated, and became an entrepreneur for about two years. I then realized I would like more discipline and structure in my life, so I interviewed at the Omega CDC for a part-time position in the Food Outreach program. This position got my foot in the door with the CDC and I worked in this program for 7 months. When I found out I was pregnant, I instantly knew I wanted better for myself and my baby! I needed to elevate myself and get a full-time job.

My first thought was to share this news with Rachel Ward, the Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, to see if the CDC offered any full-time positions. I wanted to have more financial stability right away so I could plan and prepare accordingly for my baby and me. My second thought was to get into ‘Family Coaching’, which ironically is a service my job offers. I needed to find better housing, build a resume so I could start applying for full-time positions, and find more resources to help me support this baby. Family Coaching is a self-sufficiency program structured to help the participant reach their full potential with long-term and/or short terms goals all while holding ourselves accountable and being rewarded by incentive if the goal is met at the time you set it. Family Coaching helped me so much. It expanded my horizons to more things that could help me be the best me for myself and my new addition, with no judgment or someone telling me step by step what I need to be doing. After a couple of months of still working with food outreach and my family coach, I got word of an open position for the front desk receptionist at the Hope Center. Thank God my family coach helped me build a resume and practiced interview questions with me. I then felt more confident and self-assured to apply for the position. I interviewed and within two weeks I got a call back saying I received the position. I felt so overjoyed and full of hope because my goals were turning into my reality.

I started working in my full-time position in April of 2022 and ended family coaching after completing all the goals I originally set. Months passed along and I was blessed with a healthy baby boy! Living in an apartment has given my baby and me a roof over our heads and I am so grateful but now I would like more stability and security for my son and me. I re-enrolled in family coaching because I would like to purchase a house! Right now my family coach and I are working to help me achieve this goal by the middle of the summer. I am so grateful and blessed that I am able to touch these kinds of goals and also be able to share my testimony and experiences that may help someone who wants to be on a journey to do better for themselves and their families.

I will always advocate for Omega CDC because they have been a blessing all my life and now we have the resources, the facilities, and the staffing to be more of a blessing in the community. If you are seeking help and guidance please visit the Hope Center. We want to continue being that support that the community needs!