LIFT Annual Report 2013: Building Strong Foundations | Page 11

working toward his goals,” she recalls. “Of course I knew he
would be just as serious on the job.” Gary began working at
the hotel a year ago, and in August he was promoted to fulltime status.
A month later, the hotel announced its impending closure,
but Gary wasn’t discouraged. Instead, he started drafting his
next steps. At 50, he still loves tinkering with electronics, and
LIFT helped him to enroll in a GED program and to prepare
for community college, where he can develop his skills.
As Gary reflects on how LIFT is changing his life, he looks
straight ahead and steadies his voice. “You can become
pessimistic after being incarcerated,” he says. “When
you’re in prison, everything is based in negativity. LIFT is
opportunity. People are happy here. And sometimes,” he
chuckles, “I think they are even happier than you are when
you get the job, cause they all want to see you make it.”

“Before LIFT, getting a job
was like looking for a needle
in a haystack—at night. LIFT
was my flashlight.”

12,500
MEMBERS SERVED

=

514%

LIFT HAS INCREASED THE
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
WE’VE SERVED THIS YEAR

9