Giving Back to the Community

“Thank you very much for all the times you guys have been helping me. You guys have been an absolute Godsend and I can’t express how much I appreciate all the help that I have gotten from you guys; so thank you very much.” ~Christopher McCoy; Secure Jobs client since February 2020.

Christopher has been a member of the Secure Jobs Program since February of 2020. When he first received his approval for RAFT, he was referred to the Secure Jobs program for enrollment. Christopher was working as a part-time school bus driver and had hoped to find a better paying position that would provide him with growth opportunities in a lifelong career. CTI’s Secure Jobs program has continued to support Christopher’s needs throughout his time in the program. Designed to help clients navigate through professional and financial barriers, Secure Jobs has been able to help Christopher throughout the pandemic by connecting him with community resources, including the opportunity to provide Christmas presents for his son. By staying active in the program, his Financial Career Coach has been able to connect Christopher with support and resources that have helped him move closer to his goal. Christopher felt discouraged after experiencing a personal setback, and wasn’t sure if he would be able to return to work after the pandemic. He knew that he could count on his coach for encouragement, resources and hope. Together, they actively worked on goals, employment searches and interviewing skills, and utilized the time to help Christopher access the best resources. Since then, he has figured out how to work through his challenges and still be productive with employment. After discussing his personal setback with his employer, they were able to accommodate his needs and provide him with opportunities and support to successfully re-enter the workforce.

In Christopher’s spare time, he is volunteering as an Ambassador for Subaru. Subaru has dedicated the month of November to “Giving Back”. They provided their Ambassadors with the essentials to assemble personal care kits that provide basic everyday necessities that could be distributed to homeless people in the community.  Christopher contacted CTI and explained how grateful he is for our continuous help and his motivation for wanting to give back. In return, Christopher and his coach worked together on the best way to distribute these kits. Christopher wanted to help children and families who were entering the shelter system. The Resource Center seemed to be the perfect place for these kits to find their way to the shelters. Christopher hopes that he will be able to continue to have more opportunities to give back to a community that has been there for him.

                                                                                                                                                             ~CTI’s Secure Jobs Program.