2022 Success Story: Dane Jones
On Saturday, April 30th at 10am, we invite you to join us at the iconic Apollo Theater for our 2022 Graduation Ceremony. Dane is one of over 200 men we will celebrate for securing housing, obtaining employment, and earning professional certifications. Read our previous Success Stories here.
Many of the men who join Ready, Willing & Able have experienced an upbringing full of neglect, instability, and abuse. Oftentimes, it leaves an indelible impression, but with help and opportunity, they don’t allow themselves to be a product of their environment.
Born in the South Bronx, Dane was only a baby when he ended up in the foster care system. He was raised by his foster mom in the housing projects in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Looking back, Dane said, “it was a tumultuous and very abusive foster home. I ended up running away at the very young age of 7. Since then, I’ve been in and out of group homes, shelters, and prison.”
Although the first part of his life was tough, Dane persevered and wouldn’t trade it for anything because it helped shape him into the man he is today. He found a silver lining that led him towards a greater purpose in life of helping those with similar backgrounds as his.
Dane first learned about The Doe Fund while in a Phase Three reentry program while incarcerated. He even went on to teach and design the whole curriculum for it, saying, “I came across the Ready, Willing & Able pamphlets while I was in Phase Three and/or teaching the program. I helped prepare people for reentry into society by teaching them interview preparation and job readiness skills.”
Dane didn’t know what to expect when he first walked through the doors of The Doe Fund’s Porter Avenue Facility. All he knew was that joining the program meant that he’d be with other ex-offenders who came from similar backgrounds of institutionalized settings.
“I believe that it’s very much up to the individual to decide whether or not they move to a point internally where what’s going on in their environment no longer has an effect on them the same way it did when they were growing up. That is what will allow them to overcome a lot of the barriers that arise,” Dane said.
Dane didn’t just overcome various barriers throughout his life. Now, he helps others realize their own full potential. “Ready, Willing & Able has provided me with a foundation upon which to build a positive and productive lifestyle in stark contrast to my prior one.” He continued, “I have been able to obtain and maintain employment and am now working for a non-profit agency as a Case Manager, assisting others who face the same challenges that Ready, Willing & Able helped me conquer.”
As a Case Manager, Dane deals with the same population he grew up around. That part of the job is no stranger to him, but being on the case management side is a new, fulfilling venture. Day-by-day he’s getting better at it, and soon he’ll hit his one-year job milestone. He initially came from a background of construction work. When the site closed down, he was offered this opportunity and pursued it in light of that. He hopes to learn more and improve the skills needed to carry out the duties of his job.
From helping men while incarcerated to his current job, Dane continues to be an advocate for change and dedicates his time to helping our most vulnerable populations. “I’ve noticed a lot of the time people don’t realize when they’re winning. They get so bogged down and stressed out over minutia and trivial things that they don’t take a step back and take a look at the big picture. They don’t see that they’re actually on the winning side of things. I think a lot of people need that nowadays, especially with where we’re at in society” he told us.
Through hard work and dedication, Dane has overcome incarceration and has a nice room in a brownstone, telling us, “it’s definitely a step up. I know everything takes time.” We are delighted to have been a chapter in Dane’s life, and know that with his worth ethic, introspective mind, and humble demeanor, he will continue to change not only his life, but the lives of the various clients he serves.
