ReHire Helps Single Father Gain Confidence and a Lasting Career

Having experienced a rough couple of years, Matthew Jones was looking for support getting back into the workforce. His background had been in technical sales and recruiting, but the work took a toll on him, and he became burned out. Originally from Austin, Texas, Matthew recently moved to Colorado Springs with his wife and their young son due to the increased cost of living in Austin, with the hope of finding better resources and job opportunities in Colorado. Matthew initially found work as a delivery driver with Papa Johns and while the work was easy, it was hard on his car and he eventually had to quit due to car issues.

Soon after moving to Colorado, Matthew and his wife separated, leaving Matthew to raise their 3-year-old son on his own. Now a single father and no longer able to work for Papa Johns, Matthew felt like he was in a low place. He was then referred to the ReHire program through his job coach with Diversus Health and decided to apply in the hopes of finding a lasting career that would support himself and his son.

During his time with ReHire, Matthew worked with Crossfire Ministries in their warehouse. The work was challenging and fulfilling, and he realized he had a passion for working with non-profits. While in the program, Matthew also took advantage of getting a short-term credential and received his Forklift certification. Having the ability to learn on the job training and receive his certification, all while getting a paycheck, was a huge advantage. Matthew loved getting retrained in an in-demand field!

The support he received from the ReHire program was immensely helpful. He had never been a part of a program with so many wrap around services and appreciated the way it felt like being a part of a large family. Matthew enjoyed meeting other participants during Professional Fridays and having the opportunity to learn and grow with others going through similar experiences as him. He began to rebuild his confidence and felt ready to put himself out there again and job search.

From left: Matthew Jones, ReHire Participant with Thomas Turner, ReHire Supervisor

His experiences in the past with job searching had left him feeling discouraged, receiving few responses to any applications he put in. After completing the ReHire program, he received several responses within the first week of applying, and credits his recent work experience and Forklift training giving him a massive leg up over his competition. The support he received during his time in ReHire has helped to boost his confidence and revealed a passion for non-profit work that he had not considered before.

Matthew decided to apply for a position within Goodwill to continue his work with a not-for-profit company. He was recently hired in July 2022 as an Inventory Control Specialist with Goodwill’s Retail Support Center. The team at ReHire is thrilled for Matthew and all that he has been able to accomplish and would like to officially welcome to the Goodwill family!