Angela Jones - Founder │ Influential Women

About Angela

Angela Jones founded Backwoods Outreach, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless individuals with food, clothes, hygiene products, and resource connections. Her advocacy and outreach work stems from her own experience of homelessness, during which she began helping others via social media and direct deliveries. Jones credits her family background, marked by addiction struggles, for motivating her to pursue a role as a drug and alcohol counselor, and she supported her husband in overcoming drug use. She advises those entering the field to prepare for numerous rejections, remain resilient, exercise patience, and approach the work with genuine passion. Jones prioritizes self-kindness and forgiveness in both her professional and personal life.

Ten minutes with Angela

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say having the family I did, because even though I went through a lot of hard things, I learned a lot from it. Most of my family was addicted to drugs in one way or another, so it made me want to become a drug and alcohol counselor. My husband was on drugs, and I helped him get off.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Be ready for a lot of no's, and people getting mad at you for asking for help. You gotta be really resilient. And have lots of patience. It has to be a passion for you.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Personally, just be kind to yourself. Be forgiving, because if you're not, then you're gonna hate yourself, and be angry over things that you couldn't control.