Better Way Forward Expands Opportunity for Residents in Recovery

The City of Albuquerque’s Solid Waste Management Department is expanding the Better Way Forward initiative by partnering with residents in active recovery who are currently housed through the City’s Gateway Recovery pallet home program.

Better Way Forward has already connected dozens of Gateway residents to employment opportunities and is now available to all participants in the Gateway system.

Through this partnership, Gateway Recovery residents who are ready to reenter the workforce are being offered full- and part-time employment as Duke City Ambassadors — a program funded and managed by the City’s Solid Waste Management Department that helps beautify Albuquerque while fostering connection with the community they serve.

“Consolidating all the resources we have available for recovery and housing support is crucial to making the Gateway system work for anyone who needs it,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’re making real progress, and adding employment opportunities only moves us further ahead.”

Participants described the collaboration as a life-changing opportunity that combines stability, purpose, and upward mobility.

“When Deiandra, the Better Way Forward program manager came to Gateway Recovery, I told her I just wanted to work,” one current program participant shared. “She gave me that chance — I was hired within a week. Now I’m continuing in recovery, working full-time, and building a future.”

The City’s Better Way Forward initiative connects unsheltered and formerly homeless residents to pathways of employment, recovery, and stability through outreach, housing, and citywide cleanup efforts. The Duke City Ambassadors serve as community liaisons who maintain public spaces, engage with residents experiencing homelessness, and model what recovery and progress look like.

At the Gateway Recovery community — which offers safe, supportive, and transitional housing — residents attend weekly life-skills and recovery classes as part of their contract, but flexible scheduling allows those working as Ambassadors to balance employment and recovery goals.

“The busier I am, the better,” said another current program participant. “Between classes at Gateway Recovery and working with the Ambassadors, it keeps me focused and grounded. I end every day tired, proud, and motivated.”

Participants also shared that the position provides a sense of structure, pride, and belonging, with opportunities to build rapport across the City. “We see the same people every day and get to know them,” one current program participant said. “We’re not just cleaning — we’re helping calm situations, talking with people, and showing them there’s a better way forward too.”

“Collaboration across departments and even into the private sector is what makes initiatives like this possible,” said Solid Waste Management Director Billy Gallegos. “When we work together as one Albuquerque, we can create, sustain, and expand innovative solutions to complex problems.”

“This is what a better way forward really looks like,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We’re giving people meaningful work, supporting recovery, and keeping our city clean — it’s the kind of win-win that makes Albuquerque stronger.”

The partnership between Solid Waste Management Department, Better Way Forward, and the Gateway system continues to demonstrate how collaboration can transform lives while improving Albuquerque’s streets.