Darryl had a bright future ahead of him: he was a straight-A student throughout high school, loved to play sports, and had a budding interest in wiring and lights. He hoped to become an electrical engineer one day. Things took a sudden turn when his mother and stepfather went through a tough divorce, and his stepfather lost his job. He found himself the primary adult caring for his family. Keeping his family housed, fed, and clothed, with sufficient funds for laundry, gas, bus fare, and other essentials proved overwhelming. Darryl took a risk, selling drugs, and was caught and incarcerated.

Finding a job once he was released from prison was difficult because nearly every employer required background checks. Although he was still passionate about electrical engineering, he decided it wasn’t the time to try to pursue that goal. “I could barely get a job at UPS, so I definitely didn’t feel like I was going to get the opportunity to draw up blueprints.”

Over the next few years, Darryl worked at a warehouse and an event design firm until he joined a Second Chance program and began working in sanitation. He credits the program’s holistic approach with building his self-esteem and getting back on his feet. Darryl now works as a Sanitation Supervisor for the city but still thinks about electrical engineering and going back to school.