When his uncle passed away suddenly, Vernell found himself without a place to live and without a job.
Vernell had both lived with his uncle and worked for his uncle’s company. He moved in with a friend and started going to a local food bank. There, he met one of MSC’s employment counselors who he started meeting with on a regular basis. The counselor provided Vernell with leads for jobs and bus tickets to get to interviews. “The counselor gave me affirmations that I could find a job and have what my friends have—a job and a home. The positive reinforcement was what I needed,” says Vernell.
“It’s difficult to find a job. I interviewed at a lot of places, and it takes them so long to get back to you. But you have to keep pushing on,” says Vernell. Vernell finally found a position at a local car auction dealer where he’s learning the ropes. “It’s not full-time, but I’m working,” says Vernell.
Vernell supplements his income with another part-time job at a local restaurant chain, and is now able to rent a room in a house. He’s looking for full-time employment, and still works with an MSC employment counselor for leads.
“MSC will help you find a job at a decent wage. You still have to do the legwork, but MSC provides all the resources and they want to help you. It’s not easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but if you stick with it, things will get better,” shares Vernell.
MSC’s THRIVE program helps people who are unemployed and lack stable housing. Through training, case management, and paid internships, individuals work toward finding family-wage jobs that increase stability.
