"Give a man a fish you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime."

These past few days have been pretty intense, and I am realizing how much I have become attached to a few of my clients. Last Thursday Catherine casually mentioned that Esther had been kicked out of their housing the other night and probably wouldn’t be continuing with the program. I tried really hard not to let myself get upset, but I was crushed! Esther was one of my favorite clients to talk to, and I really believed that this was her chance to restart, get back on track, and live her life the way she wants. I also really do think that she would be a great drug and alcohol counselor, and hopefully help people in the future to avoid prison and everything else. I held on to a bit of hope, but when she did not show up for her training on Monday morning I could not help thinking that we had lost her.
When I got back to the office I had a message from her. I called her back, and truly was ecstatic when she said she wanted to continue with the program, that she thought her appointment was Tuesday and not Monday, and that she also believed that this was her chance to change her life. I was so happy for her!
Friday afternoon I also went over to one of the shelters and ran into Megan, one of the ladies that I was supposed to work with but couldn’t because she needed a job and money immediately. She seemed like a great candidate, so of course I was upset when she couldn’t do the program, but she continued to tell me that she wanted to go for her CNA training as soon as she was settled. Last Monday she had an interview with Donnelley Printing, where she got a job, and by Friday she had found a place to live and was moving out of the shelter. She really had gotten back on her feet with a job and a place to live—and I have never seen anyone so happy about finding a job and a room! Even in her excitement, she was telling me that she hadn’t forgotten about training as a CNA and would contact me in a few months.
Seeing how happy this woman was and Esther showing that much determination really helped me understand why people remain so dedicated to this population, despite the fact that most people do not get to that point. Bobby Joe said to me earlier this summer that if you can make a difference in one person’s life it really is worthwhile, and I finally understand what she means by that. I am also looking at the work that her and Max (the teacher for Ready to Work) do and realizing that beyond just helping these people find a job, they are making them feel worthwhile in so many ways. Every person that walks in that room is known by name, encouraged constantly, and spoken to with a level of respect that is unseen in almost every aspect of life. Every day these individuals walk away feeling more accomplished, determined, and ready to make the difference. While the job is the ultimate goal, this program offers a sense of accomplishment and support to each person. As corny as it is, I keep thinking of the saying, “Give a man a fish you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.” I feel like these people can finish this program with enough confidence in their skills to help them find and keep jobs for the rest of their lives.
Kenneth started his digital literacy program Monday morning (for which he was fifteen minutes early). This is the man who has never encountered a computer before, and was extremely intimidated yet excited to learn. By the end of his session with Max he could not wait until his next opportunity to come in and practice using the computer. While this man does require a lot of one on one interaction, encouragement, and support, he does show the motivation and dedication needed to complete this program.
Immediately following Kenneth, David and I met with Bobby Joe to discuss his plans. A younger man in his mid-20s, he has a daughter with a woman from New York who he no longer speaks with, but he wants to support his daughter. Overall he shouldn’t really have any trouble finding a job, as he has experience in maintenance, welding, flooring, and painting, and he was early for his appointment today (the time sounds fairly trivial, but the most dedicated people tend to be those who show up on time or early, especially since most people use public transportation or walk to make sure they are there on time). We start the assessment with him on Thursday.