ReEmployAbility has partnered with over 40,000 Not-for-Profits around the country to provide service opportunities to injured workers who participated in our Transition2Work® Return-to-Work program. Through an in-house volunteer effort, our Senior Leadership Team has encouraged all team members to participate in a company-sponsored volunteer program, ReEmployAbility in the Community. For the second time this year, Alex Figueroa has taken the opportunity to provide service to a local nonprofit of his choice, Grow Into You Foundation.
As expressed on their website, Grow Into You Foundation “exists to provide coaching, mentoring, support, and resources to individuals experiencing a hardship, particularly those within and aging out of the foster care system.” Volunteers and staff members at the foundation strive to “shift perspectives, restore power, and plant hope” for underprivileged and at-risk youths and their families. With limited resources and facilities, many teens in the foster system end up displaced from their families or fostered by group homes. Once aged out there is minimal support, that may lead to negative impacts in many of their lives. Grow Into You foundation relies on volunteers like Alex to set a healthy example for the young adults that go through the program.
Planting The Seed
Alex originally heard of a position at ReEmployAbility through a nonprofit he was volunteering for, and a year later has excelled in his position. Starting out as an intern in the Finance Department, he soon moved up to a permanent position as an Accounts Receivable Associate. Still pursuing his college degree, Alex’s goal is to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Criminology, then to pursue a career in child welfare. As a current participant at Grow Into You Foundation, Alex is one step closer to achieving these goals. This nonprofit’s mission is to “provide coaching, mentoring, support and resources to individuals experiencing a hardship, particularly those within and aging out of the foster care system. These services will shift perspectives, restore power and plant hope in those that need it most.” To this day he is given the opportunity to schedule mentoring sessions and ask for assistance when in need.
With two homes, one for young men and for young women, Grow Into You provides dorm-like housing with a shared common area, for people from similar backgrounds in the foster care system. As a former resident, Alex recalls his time living at one of the locations, Oak House. He was able to take on a leadership role as the house leader, assisting in the needs of other residents. He describes the purpose of the homes as a way “to get young adults who aged out of foster care and are unexperienced at adulting and provide supports and services to eventually get them to be self-sufficient.” Recalling his time at Grow Into You, Alex stated, “Grow Into You has impacted my life to the point where I can be a self-sufficient adult and provide for the people closest to me.”
Making an Impact
While volunteering at Grow Into You, Alex’s primary job duty was to log over 300 expenses for financial assistance to young adults. Expenses can range from helping residents obtain a drivers license, rent assistance, and anything that would be useful in allowing young adults to become more independent. His accounting experience at ReEmpoyAbility has assisted in his service duties at the foundation, where he will continue to volunteer every weekend utilizing these skills to keep their expense logs up to date.
Mentors and coaches are welcomed and are in high demand at the Grow Into You Foundation. Individuals interested in an open position should visit the Volunteer Opportunities page. Once accepted future mentors can expect to meet with the executive director of the organization to receive important training on trauma, and ways to approach certain issues that may present themselves. Make an impact in a young adults life by mentoring them to become a self-sufficient asset to the community.
If you would like to learn more about Grow Into You Foundation follow the link >>>
