Jose’s life was not easy. He struggled with addiction and was in and out of prison for many years. He had no idea how to live life independently, and he needed help taking the right steps to achieve his goals.
Road to Independence with Goodwill’s Support
After his release from prison, Jose moved into sober living housing. He needed guidance on how to begin living independently and how to manage new responsibilities. So, he connected with Goodwill’s Foundational Community Supports (FCS) program. A program specialist coached Jose and directed him through the steps he needed to start improving his life.
License to Drive
One of the biggest barriers in his life was that he didn’t have a driver’s license. This made it difficult for him to keep a steady job, visit his children, and make necessary appointments. So, Goodwill helped Jose study and pass his written and driving tests, and he finally became a licensed driver.
However, there was a problem. The Department of Motor Vehicles said that he couldn’t get his license because of issues outside of Montana. This meant that Jose had to address past issues from other states to finally get his license. Goodwill was there every step of the way, helping him with budgeting, paying fines and tickets, and communicating with the DMV.
Grateful Jose: Goodwill’s Impact on His Life and Recovery
With Goodwill’s support, life started getting easier for Jose. He got relief from the stress he struggled to manage, and he got the support he needed to deal with his barriers.
Jose is grateful for the help he received from Goodwill. He said without Goodwill, he would still be struggling. He spent 20 years in addiction and in and out of prison, but with Goodwill’s help, he was able to grow and learn how to be an adult. “My addiction and being in and out of prison, I never grew up until I started taking life more seriously,” he said. Thanks to Goodwill, Jose is now on a better path in life, and he knows that he didn’t have to go through the process alone.
Discover more about Goodwill’s Foundational Community Supports (FCS) program.
Jose’s Continued Success
Jose is still thriving! Since getting support from Goodwill, Jose feels like he has grown a lot as a person and as a leader. Now he feels treated with dignity and respect and he is constantly referring people to Goodwill for services and help. He knows that the people he refers will receive the same care he did and be treated with the same respect.
Since Jose got the hand up he needed from Goodwill, he has a job, a working car, a roof over his head, and he’s gained more responsibility and leadership roles at the Oxford House. He says that all of this has helped him with his sobriety.
He feels good knowing that he can always go to Goodwill and talk to his case manager if he needs it. “Without Goodwill, I feel I would be very unproductive. I do not know if I would have been able to manage my sobriety. My sobriety is a big part of my life and extremely important to me and I have Goodwill to thank for all the little things that have helped me maintain it. [Goodwill] has helped me be a productive member of my community and I am proud of that and proud to be a part of the Goodwill story!”