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Guest Finds More Than "Just A Job"

John finally has a job he loves. After "losing it all" several years ago, John became homeless. Four years ago, he began the long road back to employment with his first stay at Breakthrough. Besides having access to a phone and fax machine, the staff at Breakthrough helped him with a resume and interviewing skills. "It was such a big help," he remembers. "I couldn't have found work without the proper tools."

After working in various jobs since then, John is now part of a team that tracks and records wildlife in northern Illinois. "I feel at home out there," he says. "I feel closer to God." In fact, the job seems to be a perfect fit for John. In a letter to Breakthrough's staff he says, "Tagging and counting deer is not a job for me. It is a labor of love...I have [re]gained respect and self-confidence. I feel whole and independent."

Breakthrough is a lifeline for men and women who are unemployed and homeless. Our staff provides encouragement and support for those who struggle with life issues that can prevent them from staying employed. We also work with partners who help prepare our guests to re-enter the workforce by teaching practical skills.

"There were several times when I wanted to give up," says John. "But Breakthrough supported me. The staff listened to me and kept encouraging me not to give up. That made all the difference in the world."

Your financial support makes it possible for us to help men and women who want to work. CLICK HERE to make an online donation.

Darrell Harris is the Employment Case Manager for Breakthrough's Men's Services Program.

What is your role with Breakthrough?
I do the initial assessment of men looking to enter our employment program. For those who are ready, I refer them to Breaking Ground, one of Breakthrough's partners. Breaking Ground helps people get ready to reenter the workforce.

What kind of discussion do you have with the men who you interview?
Not everyone is in the right place to enter employment training, but for those who are there are good opportunities. I speak from experience. At least once in my life, I needed a fresh start and have benefited from a program like this. Because I have that common ground with these men, I can tell them what I've learned. Like, "the system" is not the monster that some people make it out to be. It's designed to accommodate you. You have to decide to have the right attitude and work toward your goals. You'd be surprised at how many people are willing to extend themselves to help you if they know you're serious about changing the course of your life.

Monday, March 5 - Behind The Scenes Tour
Please join us for a one hour exciting Behind The Scenes tour of life at Breakthrough!

• Meet Arloa and our staff
• Hear life transforming testimonies
• Take a walking tour of Breakthrough's Joshua Center
• Catch the vision of our future Breakthrough Campus

When: 6 - 7 pm, March 5 (and the first Monday of every month)
Where: Breakthrough's Joshua Center
3330 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL 60624

To reserve a spot, please contact Scott Ruth at 773.722.1144 x271.

Monday, March 5, 2007 - BUILD (Breakthrough Urban Institute of Leadership Development)

How do we respond to God's passion for justice? Find out in this transformative adult learning program fostering cross-cultural understanding and urban ministry effectiveness.

The 10 week session runs weekly from March 5 through May 12.

CLICK HERE to register now.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Executive Director, Arloa Sutter

Curtis was one of the first people I met when I moved onto the 3400 block of West Fulton Blvd. He was walking his dog early one cold January morning and we talked. I kept running into him and he would encourage me to get out more with my dog Charlie. He especially appreciated the groceries he received from our food pantry.

Last summer when I saw him mowing the lawn in front of my apartment I asked him to mow the grass in front of our building on St. Louis Avenue. He was eager to help and asked me numerous times if I had more work for him to do. I told him to hold on, that soon the Breakthrough Ministry Center at 402 N. St. Louis would be up and running and we would have an employment center there to help him get a good job. He was very excited about that and asked me about it everytime we met.

Curtis died before he got the opportunity. In September he was duped by drug dealers in the park who gave him free heroin laced with fentanyl. Curtis was one of more than 70 men and women who lost their lives to the tainted heroin on the west side of Chicago this summer and fall.

Another man we knew as Santa Claus because of his full white beard passed away the same day. He was living in the boarded up building three doors down from me and died from a gas leak in the building. These are the men Breakthrough is here to serve. It is urgent that we get our building renovated so guys like Curtis and Santa Claus will have opportunities for a new life before it is too late.

Please help us finish the Breakthrough Ministry Center. CLICK HERE to donate now.

Special thanks to Neta Jackson, author of the Yada Yada Prayer Group series of books. On Friday, January 12 she visited Breakthrough to help kick off the Sister Circle, a group of women from diverse backgrounds who come together to develop meaningful relationships and learn to know God. The Sister Circle meets every first and third Friday from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. The first book we're reading together is Jackson's Yada Yada Prayer Group.

There is still time to join! CLICK HERE to sign up.

For more information contact Yolanda Fields at 773.722.0179 x213 or yfields@breakthroughministries.com