Calvin

Calvin

Calvin has been a resident with CSA since January 2017, living first at Procop House and then moving on to a longer-term transitional setting at Sandy’s House. Immediately upon his arrival at CSA, Calvin demonstrated a consistent willingness to put his life back together in every way. He jumped right in with Tom Cullinan, our employment development coordinator, to rebuild his resume, and by March of that year Calvin was employed in our Work Experience Program with one of our partners, Advanced Secondaries, retooling parts for the aerospace and automobile industries. He stayed there successfully for two years until April 2019 when he’d completed the program and was looking for new work.

At that time, the same homeless shelter he’d been a client of two years prior was developing a partnership with a local organization to provide ambassadors throughout Greater Cleveland to spend the summer planting and maintaining flower beds as part of an effort to keep the city looking beautiful. Calvin applied and was hired on with 11 other individuals, with the understanding that there might be a promise of ongoing employment for one or two hardworking candidates. What he didn’t realize was that he and his co-workers were being watched and evaluated all summer long. Sure enough, that fall Calvin’s work ethic paid off and he was chosen with one other team member to stay on and work a security position.

That’s where you’ll find him today – on third shift providing security for the homeless men and women who come to the shelter for a safe, and much-needed night’s rest. Calvin says, “I appreciate CSA and what they have done for me to the highest,” and counsels new residents that, “It’s a wise and good choice to come here. People will help you and are genuinely concerned. You just have to do what’s right.”