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.
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.
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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