“When I’m helping in the pantry with food, and I see the smile on their face, something inside me clicks. You know, I really like that. I never really helped anyone before. Now I’m helping people and people are helping me.” -Jammie, Job Support Client
Jammie was working a steady job at a large bakery in Newark when disaster struck. A fire ripped through the building, which in turn led to layoffs. Jammie was one of 150 to lose his job.
Having trouble finding work, Jammie turned to Mercer County’s One Stop Career Center where he was referred to Arm In Arm’s Job Support program. Through Arm In Arm, he has found resources and a caring community.
“When you come in, you don’t know what to expect,” Jammie said. “Once I got here and found out that they do everything in their power to help you, I’m like, alright, they’re helping me. Now why can’t I help someone else? Now I like helping other people. That’s just the bottom line. I just really like being here. I really like helping people.”
In addition to building skills for his job search, Jammie is utilizing Arm In Arm’s License to Succeed program in order to reach his eventual goal of owning his own business.
“I’m trying to get my license back because I want to drive trucks and I want to get my own business started. I can fix anything. There’s nothing I can’t fix. I do a little side work myself, like on people’s houses. I make a little money. But once I get a license I can make more. I really want to start my own business. But in the meantime I want drive trucks.”
Asked what he would say to others looking for help finding work, Jammie said, “If you come here, you’ll get something out of it because this program does work. I know it does. It’s as simple as that.”