Program Details

When I think about the people SNAP E&T is meant to benefit, I immediately think of Bodhi and how we have positively influenced his life, as he has been an equally positive force on ours. I first encountered Bodhi when I was coming into work one morning and saw him mopping the floor in front of our office door. We spoke briefly and discovered that he was performing his community service hours at the Courthouse after asking around. He began to stand out to me as the days progressed. I noticed he was consistent; he always showed up when the doors opened and stayed until the end of the day, doing janitorial work and helping the maintenance team – this is not typical behavior for our community service workers. I asked him if he was interested in finding employment or attending training, and if he had any plans after he finished his community service. He told me he was very interested in finding gainful employment, so we started the initial assessments for SNAP E&T. During the intake assessment, he explained that he had just been released from prison after a one-year sentence. I learned that his Dad, with whom he was very close, tragically died one week before he was released from prison. Bodhi had many compounding issues he was struggling with, such as depression, the difficulties of reintegrating back into society after prison, and learning how to live a sober life for the first time in decades. I also learned that Bodhi’s Dad owned a popular mechanic and towing center in our community, where Bodhi spent a lot of time with his Dad and gained a love for cars. However, Bodhi had many obstacles to overcome to reach employment and independence. For one, he was on probation in Kentucky and parole in Illinois. Second, he did not have a valid driver’s license and relied on rides from his mom. It would be a long time before he would have his fines and alcohol counseling completed.

Despite these obstacles, our staff continually encouraged Bodhi, and with support service assistance from SNAP E&T, he was able to move forward in a positive direction. I felt in my heart that it was not the right time for him to leave the encouraging and uplifting space of the Courthouse, but his community service hours were quickly ending. Our program contacted our local WIOA coordinator to see if Bodhi could be a potential candidate. His acceptance into WIOA would mean he could still earn a paycheck without losing his SNAP or Medicaid benefits. Most importantly, it would help him gain valuable work experience for future employers to add to his resume. Since the Courthouse is an official WIOA worksite, he could remain here with us for an additional three months, where he could continue to be encouraged and uplifted. It also meant that he would be centrally located near the mental health clinic and his parole/probation officer, so he would not need to stress about finding rides to his various appointments. Thankfully, Bodhi was accepted and threw himself enthusiastically into his work daily. He quickly established himself as an excellent maintenance worker, and people throughout the Courthouse took notice. The State’s Attorney, his parole officer, and the people who sentenced him to prison years before could now see him putting in the effort to better himself. While he was here, we fine-tuned his resume and helped him find employment opportunities suited to his skills and needs. Bodhi completed his mental health counselling and his WIOA work experience. By the end, it was evident from his actions that he genuinely wanted a better life for himself. I am proud to report that Bodhi went on to a full-time position at our local McDonald’s, where he excels and interacts daily with the community. His long-term goals are to finish his probation and parole by the end of November 2025. Then, he plans to move to Georgia to be near his relatives, where he can, hopefully, continue his father’s legacy in the auto industry. Bodhi has a valid driver’s license in Georgia and a car waiting for him; he will be in a much better position to find employment opportunities in his field of choice. I feel so honored and privileged that our office could play a positive role in Bodhi’s life, and I want to continue encouraging more people like Bodhi to better themselves.

Sincerely,
Lorie Walters, Administrator, Massac Co. SNAP E&T