Having spent much of his life cycling in and out of incarceration, Charles found himself facing the same barriers each time he was released. He said the pattern felt impossible to escape.
“I’ve been in and out [of incarceration] since I was 15 years old,” he said. “Every time I come out, it’s a process trying to make it out here with no one willing to hire you.”
For years, those barriers pulled Charles back into the same cycle after each release, including struggles with drug addiction—until his release this past September. While he was still incarcerated, Charles received pre-release job-readiness training and support services from Goodwill Kentucky’s Aspire Program.
“This time, coming out, the Aspire program showed up in prison and told us about everything that can help and how they can guide us through this,” he said. “At first, I was nervous, but once I got into it, I followed every step. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life.”
After his release, Charles relocated to Louisville and was immediately referred to post-release services. He was eventually hired at the St. Matthews location, where he received a promotion less than a month later.
“I have more support than I’ve ever had in my life,” he said.
Recently, Charles moved into an apartment through Goodwill Housing and is focused on repairing his credit to purchase a home for the first time. He’s also in line to receive a brand-new smile through the GoodSmiles Program, which provides up to $5,000 for dental work not covered by their insurance.
“Within four months, I had all my fines paid off, I was in my own apartment, I got my first savings account—it’s just unreal,” he said.
Charles said his mantra through his Goodwill Kentucky journey has been, “grab it and don’t let go,” which has led to a sense of stability and a path to a brighter future.
“I was in such a dark spot,” he said. “If I can come out of it, there isn’t anyone in the world who can’t.”