Roman’s Story
R.J. was born into the third generation of poverty.
Neither parents had completed high school and both lacked employable skills. However, they were determined to make a better life for R.J. and his sister. His parents worked tirelessly to provide shelter and food, encourage the children to do well in school and stay involved in a local church. The family qualified and acquired a home through Habitat for Humanity and inched closer to financial independence and security.
Following high school R.J. attended community college, earning an associate degree in general studies. He found full time work as an accountant, moved into his own apartment and to use his words, “Life was great!”
Tragically, R.J.’s father suddenly died of an apparent heart attack. R.J. and his mother were devastated and this event triggered a downward spiral for R.J.
Within months R.J. lost his job and his apartment. After moving back home R.J. fell into the ‘wrong crowd,’ running the streets and drifting into a dark place. His mother managed to hang onto the home but food, utilities and transportation were daily challenges.
One afternoon, waiting to get a free lunch at the Parkview Center, R.J. read a notice on the wall about a program called “Getting Ahead.” But what caught R.J.’s eye was that each week you attended you received a free Walmart gift card. R.J. signed up that day.
When the class ended the instructor encouraged R.J. to contact Community Connected, and see if the Open Table model might be right for him. Not wanting to disappoint the instructor, R.J. agreed to the meeting.
R.J. met his table members for the first time in late October, 2018. He shared that he would like the table to help him:
pursue a dream to be a middle school educator;
get his car running again to provide needed transportation;
develop a plan to get out of debt;
enter into a degree program in education;
become involved in mentoring youth and working in the local church.
In six months, R has:
secured a full-time assistant teacher position with the Lynchburg City Schools;
paid off property tax bill, got tags and registration and has his car back on the road;
been accepted into and enrolled in classes at a local university;
developed a savings and debt relief plan;
started helping out with youth in his church.
R.J. recently shared with his table members,
“You have blessed me beyond measure, I have hope, confidence, purpose and direction. I know I have a long way to go but it just feels good to be on this road with people I love and trust.”