Meet Justin

Justin’s wife of 33 years passed away unexpectedly. He was having a difficult time handling her death and started drinking to ease his pain. He hadn’t worked for several years and was trying to live off his supplemental security income and was barely surviving. Justin knew that he needed to make some changes in his life, so he started by moving from Mt. Vernon, Ohio to Marion, Ohio.

After moving, Justin was given some information about Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Job Development Program and that’s when things started to change for him. OOD referred him to the Crawford-Marion Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board (ADAMH) who recommended that he go through the program with Goodwill.

Brian Penrod, Director of Program Monitoring and Contract Compliance at ADAMH Board, stated, “I recommended Goodwill because it was the best fit for what Justin wanted to accomplish. He had not worked in a few years and needed a helping hand to give him the confidence that he could work. Goodwill is very good at providing wrap around supports and developing relationships. They are there to help individuals find a job, learn the job, and then continue to help the person be successfully employed.”

Justin was facing several barriers, a lapse in employment, transportation and finding a position that would allow him to work just a few hours each week. After completing an assessment that helped determine his strengths, Sherry, Goodwill Employment Specialist, and Justin determined that a position in the janitorial field would be a good fit. Sherry helped Justin search for available positions, create a resume, complete applications, and prepare for interviews.

Justin was hired at Cummins Facility Services. Through OOD Justin was able to get a bus pass to get to his job site and Cummins was able to work with Justin’s schedule. His supervisor, Jessica, stated, “Justin has been a welcome addition to our team. He is friendly and has built a great reputation with his client. We appreciate Justin being so reliable and dedicated to getting the job done right. He communicates well, and I hope that he works for Cummins for a long time!”

Now that Justin is employed and is receiving a paycheck along with his SSI check he can make payments on his wife’s funeral. His goal is to purchase an electric three-wheeled bicycle so that he can transport himself to and from work. And his long-term goal is to become more independent.

Justin is getting ahead by staying focused, thinking ahead by being open to new ideas and looking ahead by being committed to achieving self-sufficiency through the power of work.