KRA’s Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program (NPEP), operated for the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, provides job-preparation/placement services for individuals delinquent on court-ordered child-support obligations.
John, originally from Guyana (SA), enrolled in NPEP with three serious obstacles to employment. Career Agent Rhonda Feimster, reports, “John is an ex-offender, so returning to a career in Armed Security was out of the question. Second, he is homeless and living in a shelter, and third, he needs a Citizenship Certificate to obtain certain official I.D. documents.”
On the plus side, John has 8+ years’ experience as a Conflict Resolution Facilitator, leading Rhonda to encourage him to approach an organization she knew of that provided those type of services. Accepted as a volunteer-worker, he was pleased to be able to add more up-to-date work experience on his resume.
Also, the shelter referred him for a part-time Assembly/Driver Assistant job, at $12.50/hour, with Hungry Harvest, a non-profit that collects surplus produce from local farmers and delivers it to needy individuals/families.
John is still working to resolve the citizenship issue, but is making progress overall. His situation would have been overwhelming, even debilitating, for some people. But, he maintains a positive outlook, believing that his determination to succeed, his skills, and his faith will prevail.