Serve has a large group of volunteers and serves a large community with a variety of services. They work hard to use what resources exist for the best effort.
We had a client who had served many years in the military and had fallen upon hard times which landed him in our shelter here at SERVE. A young man in his late 40's who had limited computer skills and spent most of his life working as a government contractor and later was forced to settle working in a warehouse because of a crime conviction. He lost his job and his government security clearance and because of his conviction, he had a difficult time gaining entry back into the work force. Our transitional housing office (after the screening and interview process) was able to have him placed on a waiting list for housing which was contingent upon him obtaining gainful employment. Doors were constantly closed as he struggled to find himself and all attempts to find work, with no transportation was all he experienced. "SERVE" prides itself in aiding people in need and once again we felt an obligation to help this man whose life appeared to come to a sudden halt because of a mistake he made in life which appeared to be an endless punishment, both emotionally and economically. Yet he pressed on, always sharing a word of encouragemnet to his peers in the shelter and a smile to everyone he encountered. With the help of a wonderful organization called OAR (Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources) in Fairfax, we partnered in introducing him to the BEACON program. After careful interview, screening and assessing his needs, BEACON was able to welcome him into their program which offered job training, a salary and housing along with other services in the community. Today, this gentleman has a new attitude about life... to never give up, have faith and everthing will work out for the very best. We trust that this message will be a lesson to many people who face this same struggle in life. Like our wish for him, we wish everyone the very best in life and wish to share this message and hope that someone else will benefit and not give up on life.