02/24/2020
Stories of Hope | Tony
Tony, a middle-aged man who, like many, works pay check to pay check with no savings or health insurance. He has worked in the restaurant business as a dishwasher most of his adult life. Last year, Tony had a health issue that required emergency surgery. Once he recovered from his surgery, Tony attempted to go back to work. His supervisor terminated his position due to Tony’s new physical limitations. He had bills piling up, no source of income and no health insurance. Tony came to the Education and Resource Center and asked for assistance. Over the next few days, with the help of the ERC Manager, Tony created an email address, a resume and learned how to apply for jobs on the computer. He filed for unemployment and Social Security Disability Insurance. Tony remained vigilant and visited the ERC several times. In addition to applying for jobs, he continued to work on his computer skills. His hard work paid off - Tony was offered a position at a restaurant closer to his home than his previous job! His new job also offered him a higher hourly rate. With the promise of a job and the confidence to advocate for himself, Tony’s landlord granted him a two-week grace period to pay his rent. Because of the help of BSH and our Education and Resource Center Manager, Tony was going to be just fine.
