Willie is celebrating his 8th work anniversary this month with Homefull and his story is one to celebrate!
Housing instability was something that he faced off and on for many years, a similar story to many in our region. He was able to land on his feet each time he was faced with no place to live but ultimately entered the emergency shelter in March of 2015.
"I was at a low point when I made the decision to go to the shelter and knew I wanted it to be a temporary answer," remembers Willie.
Soon after entering, he heard from a case manager about Homefull's Workforce Training program and saw it as an opportunity to not only learn a new skill, but also be able to spend his days outside the shelter doing something productive. Willie signed up for the program and started in the seasonal landscape division. His upbeat outlook and work ethic immediately caught the attention of supervisors who approached him about his potential interest in property maintenance which could lead to fulltime work and a very transferable work skill.
He was interested but concerned about the fit. While the sound of a permanent job sounded very appealing, he had no experience in the field. Willie's experience was mainly in the food service industry and also route delivery. He considered himself a little "handy" but had never done anything like this before.
Ultimately, he took a leap of faith and started under the guidance of former Homefull maintenance director, Tom who brought nearly 40 years of experience to property maintenance to the table. Willie quickly became his "shadow" of sorts and "absorbed everything" he could from Tom who probably forgot more than most of us know about the trade. Willie's commitment and ability to learn quickly made him an integral part of the team at the Family Living Center. Staring with mostly painting duties he was eventually trained on basic electrical and plumbing troubleshooting and fixes.
After a couple of years, Tom decided it was time to hang up his tool belt and retire, but his student was ready to step in and assume the void left with his departure. Working with other internal staff, Willie has become an integral part of the staff at Homefull and not only manages the maintenance of the thirty-four units at the Family Living Center but also assists in special projects throughout the agency in Dayton and Columbus.
Reflecting on his eight years with Homefull, Willie said, "I'm go grateful for the opportunity I was given here. They saw potential in me and gave me a shot. I feel so supported at Homefull and couldn't be happier."