Ken came to the Catholic Charities Workforce Development Program through a referral from a temporary shelter. He had been laid off from his warehouse job and was taking temporary day-laborer jobs and donating plasma to cover the $25 monthly shelter fee and his basic needs.
Ken knew that if he could find full-time employment again, his life would be transformed, and he would once again be self-sufficient. Although his past work experience included operating a forklift, preparing shipments and overseeing inventory control, he was not successful finding a job.
In May 2018, Ken joined a Catholic Charities Workforce Development Job Readiness Class. During the multi-week class, he updated his resume and cover letter and received coaching on presentation skills during mock interviews. While he attended class and looked for employment, Catholic Charities helped Ken with bus passes, interview attire and food assistance from our Food Pantry.
After completing the Job Readiness Class, Ken’s desire to build a better life for himself continued to grow. He attended follow-up weekly job hunts where he received case management and help applying for jobs.
In early summer, Ken confided in Catholic Charities that his June rent was overdue. The staff at Workforce Development worked closely with their colleagues in the Emergency Assistance Program staff to keep Ken stably housed while he continued to look for employment.
After remaining diligent in his job hunt, Ken was offered a position with a local logistics company as a warehouse lead. Through his new employment, Ken’s life was transformed almost immediately.
He no longer wondered where his next meal would come from or relied on temporary clean-up crew positions that offered no guarantee of stability. With the help of Catholic Charities, Ken now makes $12.50 an hour with full benefits and is once again self-sufficient and safe.
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