Good Neighbors
John Kane works for BES as our gardener. You must
come over in see how he has created a beautiful spot in our backyard patio area!
He is a very gifted man. One would never see these gifts and qualities in John
had he not been given the opportunity to train through Vermont Associates as our
gardener. He now has a resume and will have a great reference for future
work.
Our Good Neighbors, Norm Webster and Tom Keenan,
recently completed their committment to the program. A
graduation celebration is in the works. They recently moved into an
apartment and both Tom and Norm continue to volunteer at the Shelter. Just
another great example of how lives are changed at the Burlington
Emergency Shelter.
Justin Paul, our newest GNP addition, arrived at BES in February. He roamed
the U.S. for nearly a decade carrying the trauma of witnessing his father’s murder at his
mother’s hand. Searching for answers and
open to the gospel, “Justin came in asking for help,” recalls Dennis Fisher,
Shelter Operations Manager. Preference
goes to local homeless, but Dennis’ inner witness of Justin’s potential proved
right. A hard worker, Justin labored
with GNP Director, Joe Shevlin to complete the backyard brick patio and
cultivated a Bible-focused relationship.
When Chef Harry of Broad Acres in
Colchester called Fisher looking for full-time workers, Justin grabbed the
opening. “His work ethic is stellar,”
reports Harry who trained Justin as a Night Fry Cook and is sponsoring him in
AA and to attend New England Culinary Institute (NECI).
Guests
Korabez, Clancy &
Cardinal: Ops Assets
After his 90 days training through Vermont
Associates BES Guest and Custodial Supervisor Pawel Korabez is training under a
new 3 month contract as Operations Management Assistant.
John Clancy remains the mainstay of the
overnight shift. Clancy adaptation to
new philosophies and change in hours makes him a key Ops Team asset. Also, Tim Cardinal assisted with the back
patio and volunteers in Ops daily.
Female Guest is 3rd Quarter Newsletter MVP
Jill Harriman was the MVP of the mass distribution effort required to send
the 3rd Quarter BES Newsletter out the door. She tirelessly
prepared and labeled 2500 BES reply envelopes, updated e-mail addresses
for our church contacts database and supported collating efforts with
our United Way RSVP volunteers. Thank you, Jill!.
Recent press release on Pawel Korabez...
Just
because folks are homeless, does not mean they can’t work,” comments Chamber
member and BES Executive Director Jim Guiel. “We welcome people from all
walks of life who are willing to let us help them find jobs, start savings
accounts and share in keeping the Shelter clean.” The annual public cost for a
chronically homeless individual living on the street ranges from $35,000 to
$100,000 in emergency health care, law enforcement, shelter programs and the
like. “At any one time, 90% of our Guests hold a job: they are highly
supported in finding and maintaining jobs,” says Guiel of the Shelter’s
Guidelines, “and for about $16 a night per Guest, we’re relieving the tax-payer
to the point that these people pay it backwards—they give back food
stamps.”
Pawel
Korabez, a highly decorated veteran of the Viet Nam era, is one example of a
Guest who gave up food stamps and welfare using BES’s work approach to
rehabilitating homeless citizens. Like all BES Guests, he counseled with
Operations Manager Dennis Fisher to find a job. “Pawel was pretty down when he got here,”
reflects Dennis, “…until we got things going with Vermont Associates.”
After a 10-year printing career, Pawel had wandered between
Labor Ready and Westaff. “I couldn’t find a really rewarding job or
mentor, like Sam,” he remarks of previous employer Samuel M. Trudel,
chamber member and owner of Middlebury Print & Copy, which closed in
2006. Like many who become homeless, Pawel struggled to recover the
confidence and self esteem built from service to country and the printing
industry. Everything changed, however, due the BES’s collaborations with
Vermont Associates for Training and Development Project (VATDP), and their
program to train and employ Vermonters over 55.
“It
is a perfect match,” smiles Jim Guiel, of Pawel and Vermont Associates.
“Because they partner with community agencies to offer 90-day job-training for older
Vermonters, Pawel trained as our Custodial Supervisor and received wages from
VATDP.” After his 3-month review, VATDP approved a new training program
for Pawel: Operations Management Assistant. As BES, VADTP and Pawel
retrofit his resume, hope is restored. “My goal is to get back to the life I had before,” says
Pawel as he remembers the cherished kitten he rescued and raised prior to
losing his home, “…a full-time job, apartment, car and retirement at 70.”
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