Melvin

We met Melvin in January 2021 when he was desperately looking for work and began calling every temp agency he could find when he stumbled upon information for One On One. With a history of gang involvement in his youth and a more recent conviction, Melvin knew that his employment options were limited. With minimal resources, he was willing to do any job. Melvin assumed the only options open to him would be a role in a warehouse due to his past justice involvement.

Initially, we were able to support Melvin to get his driver’s license and to secure a temporary role in security at a mass vaccination site in March of 2021. Knowing that this role was temporary, Melvin kept meeting weekly with his job coach for one-on-ones and kept completing applications for full time roles. Melvin wanted to be a part of a community, and he was committed to finding options that would work for him.

This summer, Melvin successfully secured a job as a doorman at a popular local restaurant making over twenty dollars an hour. He said his employers encourage him to engage with people, pet dogs, and be a part of a fun, welcoming environment. For Melvin, having a job in a positive environment where he is encouraged to interact with customers has given him the support he needs to look forward. Melvin shared that he tries to “... be friendly, sociable, genuine, caring, and very serious about my job— but not so serious that I can’t laugh or smile, cause that’s what part of my job description is, to make people feel comfortable.”