We had the good fortune of connecting with Demira Devoil and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Demira, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in a small town in Bastrop, Louisiana. It’s mostly rural and there are a lot of areas that are low income neighborhoods. I grew up in a low income area and that impacted me in many ways throughout my life. I was motivated to pursue higher education, and seek out a career IT that allowed me to be of assistance to others who grew up just like me. Hopeful Arms Foundation is my nonprofit that I founded to reach out to single mothers and those affected by homelessness to stop the cycle of poverty within their own family. Growing up in poverty was a key motivator in my life, to want more in life to help all that I come across.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Hopeful Arms Foundation is a nonprofit that assist single mothers and those affected by being homeless. Our Single Parent Rebirth program is designed to offer mentorship and classroom application in assisting single parents with breaking the cycles of poverty in their life. I got to where I am as a founder and CEO, by being dedicated to what I believe is my purpose in life. It has not been easy, there have been challenges along the way. The way that I have overcome the challenges along the way is by staying focused on goals and mitigating through the challenges. The lessons I’ve learned along the way are that it is key to surround yourself with a great team. I would like the world to know that the way that you grew up, and it does not have to dictate your life and future. I grew up in unfavorable life conditions; however, I didn’t allow it to stop me from living a life focused on purpose and impacting the life of others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, if my best friend was visiting there would be one place in particular that I would visit it would be Spiral Diner & Bakery in Fort Worth. I love vegan food and so does my friends.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my mom Donnie Frazier and dad, Charlie Jackson. They taught me to keep pushing in life and never give up on my dreams.

Website: www.hopefularmsfoundation.org
Instagram: hopefularmsfoundation
Twitter: Hopeful Arms Foundation
Facebook: Hopeful Arms Foundation

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