RWA work opportunities afford countless benefits to the trainee, both tangible (financial security, a resume, and references) and intangible (self respect, a sense of purpose, and experience working in a team) all of which lay the foundation for success in the workplace. Though many RWA trainees have worked in the past, and some have technical skills, the work-centered culture of RWA gives individuals an opportunity to build (or rebuild) the soft skills and discipline to find and keep a mainstream job upon graduation. Our experience has shown that the 6 to 9 months of transitional employment provided by The Doe Fund are necessary for a trainee to not only find a job but to keep it.

While drug testing is time-intensive and expensive, it has repeatedly proven itself to be a worthwhile investment. Nearly 90% of RWA trainees have histories of substance abuse averaging 18 years. Many trainees have had jobs or housing in the past, but due to a cycle of chemical dependency they repeatedly found themselves on the street, breaking family ties, and, often, in prison. To end this pattern, we insist on drug testing not only to ensure that the RWA community is drug- and alcohol-free, but also to positively reinforce to the trainee that staying clean is crucial for the completion of his or her journey to self-sufficiency.

Always, even in the face of controversy, The Doe Fund has supplemented government contracts with private donations to create state-of-the-art, architecturally relevant, and beautifully decorated housing facilities. With murals and glossy photos on the walls, stylish lighting fixtures, roof gardens, and more, not only are Doe Fund facilities famous for being everything one does not expect from a homeless shelter, they silently — yet forcefully — send a message to program trainees that they are worthy of something beautiful. In turn trainees — even those who leave the program — treat the buildings and fellow inhabitants with the utmost care and respect. Our shelters are the safest in New York City.

In order to maintain a culture of openness and respect, conflict resolution is a key component of the RWA program. Trainees and staff are expected to treat each other with fairness in all interactions. However, as in all organizations and workplaces, in practice this is not always the case. At RWA we insist upon an open method of conflict resolution called the "sit-down." A sit-down is a mediated forum for all parties to communicate specifically about an event or issue that resulted in conflict. A sit-down does not end until a conflict has been resolved.

In addition, many trainees are heavily in debt. Case managers stress the importance of facing financial obligations (such as child support or student loans) while in the program in order to set a manageable payment plan. We encourage trainees to work toward having a clean slate when they enter the job market so their wages are not garnished, thereby creating an incentive to work "on the books." RWA does not advocate running or ducking from financial obligations, but rather addressing them head on. Since the money earned in RWA is a stipend, it is an ideal time to set agreeable payment terms with creditors.

Over the nearly 20 years since RWA was founded, many resources have been developed both internally and with external partners that trainees can take advantage of, but only rarely is participation mandated. Instead case managers work on an individual basis with the trainees on his or her caseload to provide a menu of options with everything from basic education or GED preparation, to advanced vocational training in pest control or computers, to anger management classes and more. A trainee will chose what, if anything, he wants to pursue, and only at that point will it become part of his RWA experience. Most trainees take advantage of at least one option, but it is common for trainees to focus solely on work and sobriety which, ultimately, is what RWA is all about.

In addition to ensuring that our business ventures create work opportunities and are viable, The Doe Fund seeks to run businesses that improve the community. Most notably, our Community Improvement Project in New York City provides supplemental sanitation services to over 160 miles of New York City streets. This creates not only goodwill from local government and residents, it allows for increased visibility of the RWA program. Such visibility and name recognition generates donations to support social service and housing operations and, even more significantly, gives program trainees a sense of pride as they are actively improving the community around them. Most recently, The Doe Fund launched RWA Resource Recovery, a successful "green" business that collects waste cooking oil for conversion into biodiesel.