After having difficulty finding stable housing after leaving prison, Joshua came to Our House in December 2020. He quickly settled into Our House programming, finding a home in the Shelter, enrolling in the Reentry Program, and joining the TANF-funded Job Training Program on campus. Since January 2021, Joshua has worked as security in the guard shack, where he enjoys helping people when they come to seek assistance at Our House. He’s proud of the work he does: “It’s nice to get some sort of gratifying feeling from whatever you’re doing. It helps me want to go to work & develop responsibility & reliability.”
Joshua has big plans for the future. Because of his hard work and commitment, he was selected to move into our transition housing, the Family House. As part of the Reentry Program, he’s been attending Workshop Wednesday classes, where he’s sharpening his job skills, building his resume, and prioritizing financial literacy. He is also earning his forklift certification through a TANF-funded program! Recently, Joshua has begun working with a social worker at Canvas Community and started establishing a vision and long & short-term goals. In the next year, he’s excited to connect with his teenage son and find a job in the community, and Joshua has built a stable foundation to pursue his goals.