Submitted by: Richard Fitzgerald

One benefit of being an Ambassador for the GPCC is the periodic opportunity to participate in special, unanticipated events.  A couple of weeks ago, the GPCC asked if any of the ambassadors would be willing to spend time undertaking mock interviews for Ready, Willing & Able graduates who were about to launch themselves onto the job market.  This was a great opportunity to help an organization that benefits all Philadelphians but most specifically men who struggle with “homelessness, substance abuse, and criminal recidivism.”  As the Ready, Willing & Able brochure states, we all “have seen the ‘men in blue’ beautifying Fairmount Park, Rittenhouse Square, or LOVE Park.”  On the 8th of December, 13 Chamber members, all also Ambassadors, had the honor of meeting 13 of these men and conducting mock interviews in order to help them prepare for their real job interviews.

I had anticipated spending forty-five minutes or an hour in this volunteer activity.  After nearly two hours, I suspect every Chamber member in attendance was ready to give as much time as was needed.  The men we met, with the inspirational support of the Ready, Willing & Able staff, had already accomplished so much.  The stories they told were honest and direct.  Their commitment to facing the world with hope and determination was inspiring.

We each “interviewed” two of the Ready, Willing & Able men.  I listened as a 22-year-old told me of his homelessness and substance abuse.  And yet, he also looked me straight in the eye and told me of his ambitions and his realistic plan for achieving those ambitions.  I also met another man who was a trained barber, a cook, and a union cement specialist.  He recognized that he struggles with loyalty issues that have led to family problems and incarceration.  He, too, had a straight-forward plan to overcome these issues.  By the end, when all the Chamber volunteers and the Ready, Willing & Able men gathered together to discuss the interview experience, I wanted to hear everyone’s story. 

LeeRoy Jordan, the Executive Director of Ready, Willing & Able, has created a critically important program.  He and his staff provide “transitional work, comprehensive support services, and clean, drug-free housing.”  More importantly, their program creates graduates with dignity and a sense of self-worth, and men with a renewed commitment to their families and their neighborhoods.

I want to offer the sincerest thanks to the Chamber staff for providing this thought-provoking and moving opportunity.