Paul Bass Photo
Jeffrey S. waits his turn.
Applicants filling out forms.
The face of New Haven’s unemployed emerged inside Elm City Market, where over 100 job-seekers lined up for a second shot at a stable life.
The line formed outside the Chapel & State Street market‘s cafe section Tuesday for a job fair, at which job-seekers could learn about and apply for a dozen open positions ranging from produce-stockers and cashiers to kitchen-prep workers and front-end supervisors.
A total of 112 people showed up, all of whom were interviewed, according to the market’s human resources chief, Lesche’ Brunson. Since opening three years ago, the market has made a point of hiring people from programs helping recovering addicts, ex-inmates and the homeless restart their lives. (Brunson, pictured, came to the market from one such program, rising from an initial position stocking shelves.)
Elm City Market has hired more than 100 people from those programs since its November 2011 launch, according to the new general manager, John Garvey. He said they typically stick to the job longer than other hires. “They’re thankful for the second chance,” Garvey said. “They come here and make it their own; they build the organization like they build their own families. Everybody has had somebody who gave them a break. It’s good to be that somebody.”
Waiting their turns at Tuesday’s fair, job-seekers spoke openly about their struggles as well as their optimism, now that they feel ready to reenter the workforce. They are people who haven’t given up. People like Jeffrey S., who’s 30. He has been looking for work without success since getting out of jail in November; he has been jailed repeatedly over the years for drug, breach of peace, and domestic violence-related charges. He used to unload trucks for Family Dollar. “It’s a little bit tough” applying for jobs as a felon, he said. “They look at you differently.” He said he’d like to work in the market’s restaurant department. “I’m looking to get my foot in the door, work my way up from the bottom. I’m pretty sure I’ll get something.”
Luiz A., 46, was looking for “anything that’s open — customer service, forklift, printing …” He used to make $7.25 an hour emptying trucks and working the register at a Naugatuck Rite-Aid, he said. He decided to supplement that income by dealing drugs to support his four kids, he said: “I got caught.” He was released from jail in November, he said, and has been looking for legitimate work since. “Everywhere I go,” he said, “they close the door” because of his record.
Before showing up Tuesday, Tonya B. was already on the road to stable employment: She has been working as a cashier and waitress at Marrakech Inc.‘s Village Café on Whalley, part of a job-training program. “I love it. I love working with people. I’ve been a recovering addict for two years — crack cocaine, alcohol. I left the streets on my own.” She wore one of the day’s biggest smiles.
Kalena L., 32, is on the rebound from an injury that sidelined her last year from her job as a certified nurse’s assistant, she said. She still has chronic back pain, so rather than “put myself or my patients at risk,” she came to Elm City Market seeking a job that doesn’t involve heavy lifting. Like working the register. “It’s hard” paying the bills for her and her two children right now, she said. She gets food stamps but no cash government aid.
Donald I. is staying a halfway house until May. He was sent there after his release from jail on a driving-under-the-influence conviction, his third such offense, he said. He insisted he’s ready to live straight, make use of his experiences doing carpentry, painting, restaurant prep work. “I’m 53. I’m all done with that,” he said of his troubles. “I’ve got a girl at home with two boys waiting for me. I went through a hard time; my father died. No excuses.”
“I don’t want to live that life anymore,” echoed Robert B., 30, who said he served two and a half years for selling narcotics. He had part-time work at Dunkin Donuts and Town Fair Tire; the work didn’t last. “That’s why I’m dressed like I am” for the job fair, he said. “I wanted to get a shirt” but lacked the money.
Siblings Caroline F. and Jaheim M. said they hope to land “anything that’s open” at Elm City Market. Jaheim, who’s 36, said he was laid off from his last job, at Wal-Mart. Caroline, a 41-year-old mother of four, said she last had steady work in 2010, when she was told Burger King no longer needed her after ten years making patties. She has tried found occasional temp work clearing snow.
Many of the applicants Tuesday came from STRIVE-New Haven, a job-readiness program housed across Chapel Street from the market. Chris C. (at right in photo), who’s in the second week of the program, is getting back on his feet. Christopher S. (at left) brought along optimism gained from having risen from the depths of despair. He last worked in 2009. He got sick, slipped into depression, became homeless. “I was suicidal, you name it. Things were going wrong. I didn’t believe in myself anymore.” The Columbus House shelter helped him gradually rebuild his health and his confidence. He had permission to stay inside during the day because of his poor health. one day he decided to take a walk outside. “Before I wouldn’t walk; the wind was blowing me down.” Now, on the walk, “the birds were out. Everybody was having a good time. I said, ‘Look what I’ve been missing.’’” A Columbus House case manager has helped him find a place to live, obtain disability benefits. He believes he’s ready to work part-time doing maintenance of light-duty tasks. “I think,” he said, “the old Chris is coming back.”
I haven't shopped at Elm City Market for awhile. Time to go back.