Fifteen years ago, Michael was released after serving 2 years in prison. It was just before Thanksgiving, he was 28 years old, and he had no place to turn. Under the rules of his parole, he was not allowed to move out of state to live with his parents. With no place to live, Michael was given $25 and sent to a homeless shelter.
"I had made a lot of bad decisions—that’s how I had gotten to be where I was—but I was determined to improve my life,” Michael recalls. Within a week of being released, he found a job at a fast food restaurant. Unfortunately, he was fired a week later when his application was re-reviewed and it was noticed that he had disclosed a felony conviction. Shortly after that, he was hired to work in retail sales. While Michael felt fortunate to have found a job at all, he knew that there was no long-term future for him in retail. It was not until an acquaintance of Michael’s helped him get an interview in his field of expertise —Information Technology —that his luck began to turn.
Michael was nervous about the interview —after years out of an office he didn’t know if he could fit in. Educated and intelligent, he knew that he had the knowledge, skills and ability to succeed in the position —but could he convince the person interviewing him? He went to UCM’s Back Porch Thrift Store looking for some clothes that would help him look the part and that he could afford. “I found a suit at the Back Porch that didn’t fit me well, but it did help me fit in,” he says.
Michael walked into his interview with head held high and landed himself a new job. He hands much of the credit for his success to the suit, “It was like that suit covered my shame for just long enough to persuade the HR manager that I was a 'normal' person; you know -with a house, a car ... clothes ... someone you wouldn't think twice about hiring for an office job."
Shortly after taking the job, Michael was able to move out of the homeless shelter and began rebuilding his life. He has been with the same company for nearly 15 years and has a life that he is very proud of, “I have a home; a wife and kids; a good job and I can afford my own suits now. I pay taxes. I give to my church. And yes, I donate to UCM. After all--you could say it all started with their suit. God bless you, UCM.”
"I had made a lot of bad decisions—that’s how I had gotten to be where I was—but I was determined to improve my life,” Michael recalls. Within a week of being released, he found a job at a fast food restaurant. Unfortunately, he was fired a week later when his application was re-reviewed and it was noticed that he had disclosed a felony conviction. Shortly after that, he was hired to work in retail sales. While Michael felt fortunate to have found a job at all, he knew that there was no long-term future for him in retail. It was not until an acquaintance of Michael’s helped him get an interview in his field of expertise —Information Technology —that his luck began to turn.
Michael was nervous about the interview —after years out of an office he didn’t know if he could fit in. Educated and intelligent, he knew that he had the knowledge, skills and ability to succeed in the position —but could he convince the person interviewing him? He went to UCM’s Back Porch Thrift Store looking for some clothes that would help him look the part and that he could afford. “I found a suit at the Back Porch that didn’t fit me well, but it did help me fit in,” he says.
Michael walked into his interview with head held high and landed himself a new job. He hands much of the credit for his success to the suit, “It was like that suit covered my shame for just long enough to persuade the HR manager that I was a 'normal' person; you know -with a house, a car ... clothes ... someone you wouldn't think twice about hiring for an office job."
Shortly after taking the job, Michael was able to move out of the homeless shelter and began rebuilding his life. He has been with the same company for nearly 15 years and has a life that he is very proud of, “I have a home; a wife and kids; a good job and I can afford my own suits now. I pay taxes. I give to my church. And yes, I donate to UCM. After all--you could say it all started with their suit. God bless you, UCM.”