Robert Cornish, of South Bend, spoke at a South Bend Common Council meeting about how much the Saint Joseph County Public Library means to the community and why they should approve its expansion project.

“There will be larger classrooms available,” he said, of why he spoke in support of the project. “It basically gives those of us studying for the HSE more options because the library is a convenient location.”
After listening to Robert and many other community members, the Common Council voted unanimously to approve the expansion project.

Robert knows first-hand how important convenient class sites are for AD ED students. For the past two years, he has lived downtown in offsite housing operated by the Center for the Homeless and attended AD ED classes at the nearby library.

When Robert was 18, his family came close to losing their home. So when he was offered a full-time job, he quit school without finishing his senior year. Then, in 2005, Robert became his parents’ primary caregiver. He tried to juggle full-time work and caregiving, but it was too much.

“It was either them or work and I couldn’t drop them and do work, because they’re my parents,” he said. He focused on his parents’ care for the next 10 years, until his mother entered a nursing home.