2020 Success Story: Jesse
On Wednesday, April 28th at 6pm, we invite you to join us virtually at our 30th Annual Graduation Ceremony. Jesse is one of over 500 men we will celebrate for securing housing, obtaining employment, and earning professional certifications despite the enormous obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Jesse first walked through the doors of Ready, Willing & Able two years ago, he had three felony convictions, was homeless, and was struggling with addiction. His three sons and their mother were terrified of him. At his lowest point, he was sleeping on the streets and subways.
“I was so skinny that my belt wrapped around me twice,” Jesse told us. “I had lost everything, but most important, I had lost myself.”
Things weren’t always this way. Jesse had a college education and was a registered nurse. But substance abuse turned him into a different person.
Addiction recovery is a crucial part of the comprehensive support system we provide participants of Ready, Willing & Able, as nearly 87% of the individuals we serve have histories of substance usage. Through partnerships with licensed treatment providers, the program offers outpatient substance abuse care both on-site and at local outpatient clinics. Ready, Willing & Able includes a relapse prevention course, in-house NA groups, and more intensive inpatient treatment with licensed providers throughout New York. All Ready, Willing & Able participants are randomly urine tested twice weekly, not just to create a substance-free environment but also to ensure trainees do not jeopardize their progress by violating parole.
Not long after joining the program, Jesse went from cleaning the streets to being hired as a supervisor. He was saving money, working, and—most importantly—staying sober.
When Jesse wasn’t at work, he took advantage of the job prep classes offered by our Workforce Development team. “They got me to a point where I was so comfortable, I could anticipate any questions the [mock] interviewer would ask,” said Jesse. “The other guys and I would practice interviewing each other in our rooms. I also brushed up on my Excel skills, which I use at my current job.”
The staff at The Doe Fund also helped Jesse get his nurse’s certificate back and a certificate of good conduct. Even then, finding employment was an uphill battle due to his felony convictions… until, strangely enough, the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Unlike most of the men we serve, whose employment prospects have been badly hit by the pandemic’s disproportionate economic toll, being in the medical field meant Jesse’s skills were suddenly in high demand. “I started at a job with Quest Diagnostics and worked on the frontlines as a lab assistant, helping scientists try and figure out this virus,” he told us. “I have not stopped working this whole time. Today, I am a Medical Assistant at North Bergen Surgical, making over $40 an hour.”
A housing specialist from The Doe Fund helped Jesse find his current apartment, even driving him out to New Jersey to meet the realtor. With the money I saved, Jesse bought a car so he could commute to work.
But the most important thing to Jesse is that his three boys are back in his life again.
“My oldest is in college, and I’m so damn proud of him. They all come visit and even their mom talks to me again. After the birth of my kids, I can honestly say The Doe Fund is the greatest thing that has happened to me,” he said.
“I’m so grateful that it helped me find the real Jesse again.”
