John L. — “You Gotta Have Faith”

John lived in Boston, working in the housekeeping field. He was very close to his family, especially his father, and when his father died, John became depressed and faced a series of challenges.

“I lost my father and fell apart,” John says. “We were so close — he was my best friend.” Following this tragedy, John experienced addiction and homelessness. He learned about Pine Street Inn’s workforce development program in housekeeping while staying in another shelter.

Because John had worked in housekeeping in the past, the program offered him an opportunity to get back on his feet. “The staff works with you to make sure you’ll succeed,” John says. “They take the time to explain things and to help.”

John has also learned about budgeting, practiced valuable work skills, and updated his knowledge of the job application and hiring process. “It used to be that you didn’t need a résumé,” John says. “You could just fill out an application. Now you have to have a résumé for every job. It’s been a learning experience.”

John is working with Pine Street staff to find permanent housing that will provide a stable living situation. “Because I’m currently staying in a shelter, I have to check in by a certain time, so I can’t work evenings,” John says. Many housekeeping and maintenance jobs require nighttime hours, and John has had to limit his search to day shifts. John adds, “I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll find housing soon, so I’ll have more flexibility in my job search.”

Now John feels prepared to face the challenges ahead of him. “I would recommend this program to anybody,” John says. “Do the job, you’ll get ahead. You gotta have faith.”