Going the Extra Mile: Darnell Jenkins Succeeds with Supportive Services

Getting a job is often the easy part of the journey to self-sufficiency. The hard part is overcoming the barriers that sometimes prevent someone from working. Transportation remains one of the most common obstacles to employment. Darnell Jenkins is a man who is working hard to better himself. He's currently in an in-patient facility, focused on his sobriety. He was able to get a job, but his work hours were outside of the bus schedule, and he doesn't have a car. Thankfully, Darnell qualified for supportive services through the Full Employment Council. The Full Employment Council's supportive services allows qualified FEC members to access various means of transportation at no cost to themselves. One example is the FEC's partnership with the KCATA, which created KCATA Special Transportation Services. This allows FEC members to utilize ZTrip for rides back and forth to work, when their place of employment is beyond public transportation routes or, like Darnell Jenkins, the work hours prevent a worker from using the bus.

"This service has helped me to make it to work on time, along with assisting in my sobriety," said Jenkins. "I have a ride to and from work with no worries, which has helped me to excel." Kim Greene, who oversees the transportation program at the FEC, sees every day what a difference this service provides. "This program has been in place for more than 20 years, and it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Kim. "Providing dependable transportation overcomes a barrier that often causes a customer to not accept a job offer because the place of employment doesn't have access to a public transit system." Going the extra mile can make a big difference in the employment outcome of people who face barriers to employment. With the help getting back and forth to his job, Jenkins is doing so well that he's managed to secure housing for himself, and will be moving into his own place in April. Now sober, with a secure job, and stable housing, Darnell Jenkins can start planning for the next big thing. He's saving up for a new car. For more information on the supportive services the Full Employment Council offers members, visit a location near you.