Sean gets a clean start with Cleanslate

Meet Sean, a Cara participant who made the Great Wall this year after a year working with Harvard Maintenance as a Porter.

“If he can do it, I can do it.”

“Before I came to Cara, my life was kind of hectic, you know? I didn’t have a job. I was lost for the moment. I was willing to work, but I didn’t know where to start.

“I started with Cleanslate. I was going to the gas station and actually saw my brother-in-law suited up. He was waiting on a pickup van to pull up to Cleanslate. I got online, did a little research, and said to myself, ‘if he can do it, I can do it.’

Stepping forward

“I worked for Cleanslate for three to four months. I made sure I was on time. I made sure I was, you know, participating, and that everything worked out perfectly.

“My stepping stone was with Cara. It seemed like they gave me my life back, I’m just gonna put it like that. I mean, I didn’t even know a program such as this existed. If I’d known earlier, the first day Cara opened the doors I would’ve been there – I think this is a beautiful program.

A candle in a dark room

“Words can’t even describe it. It’s like lighting a candle in a dark room – it just lit me up. Now I’m ready for anything. I’m working. I’m here on time. I like my job and the people here like me too.

“Cara gave me the strive to work again. I feel like somebody again. It brought me back to life.“

This season, your support of Cara Collective is critical to furthering our mission of eradicating poverty and increasing access, equity, and opportunity. Please consider making a financial gift this #GivingTuesday to support job seekers like Sean. Thank you for your support!