Father and son duo, Virgil and Virgil, committed to the Mission’s New Life Plan about two years ago, and are now part of our Aftercare program.
Virgil worked hard to complete the initial phases of the New Life Plan, including job skills training and individual and group counseling. Since moving out of the Mission and into an apartment, he’s made huge strides in furthering his education, becoming certified in Peer Support and pursuing a degree in social work — all while being a parent to his son and working full-time.
Younger Virgil just completed 5th grade and is looking forward to middle school in the fall. His best subject is math, and, like most kids his age, he enjoys hanging out with school friends and playing video games. Their adorable new puppy, Angel, is clearly a welcome addition to the family.
Both father and son admit that life is still not easy. “It’s hard to move forward because of some challenges with my background,” says Virgil Sr. “I’m a hard worker with 20 years’ experience in maintenance, plus I have new certified training in the human services field. Everything starts out great in an interview, and then my past keeps me from getting the job. It’s hard to be able to pay the bills making less than $15 an hour in Raleigh these days. I wish more employers offered second chance opportunities.”
What keeps this father going is his heartfelt desire to make life better for his son. “Through all the trials we’ve had, he’s better than any kid I know,” says Virgil quietly and proudly. “He’s resilient. Everything I do, it’s all for my little man. We’re hanging in there.”
If you or your employer has a job opening that is a potential fit for Virgil or any of the talented clients at Raleigh Rescue Mission, find out more about hiring our clients.