Meet Jose

He’s transforming his life at Cara, thanks to your support.

What was your life like before Cara?
I was in the wrong place. I had people who I thought were friends, but they weren’t. I couldn’t get a job because I was deemed a liability. Needing money, I started selling drugs. When my family found out, they kicked me out of my house. I was bouncing from place to place, sometimes sneaking back home to sleep in the basement.

How would you describe yourself then?
I felt like a nobody…like nobody was ever going to want to hire me.

Do you remember your first impression of Cara?
I really thought Cara was just about coming and getting a job. But as soon as I saw Motivations and Transformations I was like, “Damn, this is pretty heavy.”

Describe an important lesson learned at Cara.
I’ve learned to take what I’ve learned at Cara and figured out how to utilize it outside of Cara. Like “Don’t Relax,” I don’t want to relax any more. That means I’m being lazy and not giving 100%.

How did it feel to look in the mirror the first time you got dressed in office attire to come to Cara?
I never pictured myself wearing a suit every day, but I found confidence in it.

What is your dream job?
I want to be somewhere where I can talk to people. I’ve learned so much from others, and I want to keep doing that. I learn something new every day now.

If you could go back in time to your first day at Cara, what would you say to past-Jose?
Go through it. Some parts of this are rough moments, but stick to it. Because it’s going to be amazing.

Describe yourself now.
Outgoing and willing to try new things.

What motivates you?
Finding a better life. To grow you have to go through it. Then you have to learn how to see it with new eyes. I’ve probably looked with a thousand eyes now.

Your #GivingTuesday donation guarantees Cara participants like Jose are transforming their lives. Won’t you help him reach his goal? Click here to donate. Any amount makes a difference!