John spent the first 20 years of his adulthood in-and-out of prison. Out of prison, he was often homeless and struggled with drug addiction. As part of a gang, he found it nearly impossible to break the cycle he was living in.

During his final period of incarceration, John had a realization, “I woke up one day in prison and realized that I had lost all the people most important to me. My wife left me and my mother became sick from the stress I caused her. I had to make a change,” he said. Upon his release, John was referred to Rubicon Programs by his parole officer. Rubicon, a Fresh Success provider, connected John with the services he needed to move his life forward.

John received support to obtain his driver’s license, took classes to earn occupational certifications, obtained CalFresh benefits, transportation assistance, legal assistance, and also got help writing a resume and with long term career planning. “Rubicon and its Fresh Success program is the place to be if you want to change any — or every — aspect of your life,” he said.

Thanks to the training, John is working as a forklift operator which has allowed him to be self-sufficient and pursue additional education. He is working to become an accredited drug and alcohol counselor so that he can invest himself in the community that lifted him up. He wants to help those who share the same struggles he has overcome.

Asked about his future career plans, John said, “I would love to start a nonprofit that helps homeless teenagers and runaways. I want to help them before they get to the point I got to in life. I want to give back.”

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