A New Family

A few weeks ago, I received a call from a friend and graduate of the JFL Program saying that she was in the hospital and was not going to make it up to Advance Memphis that day. Although I could not go to the hospital right then, I was determined to go visit with her as soon as possible.

The next day, I called to make sure she was still in the hospital and asked another friend of ours who graduated with her to go with me to visit her and see how she was doing.

When we got there, our friend was looking horrible. The only time I ever remember going to the hospital was to be with family members, especially grandparents. Sitting in that hospital room, I was so aware that day of my family in Christ. Moving to Memphis several hours away from my immediate family was also never more obvious. I realized that even though my parents, brother and sister, are far away how truly blessed I have been this year. My friend is my family. While she is 25 years older than me, black, not white, and from completely different worlds, we both have the same God that deeply loves us.

I rejoice in the fact that even though I am miles away from those I love, He has given me a view of what He desires His family look like. I cannot wait for the day when we all stand before the throne reconciled praising our God.

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb." Revelation 7:9

julie@advancememphis.org

No Snow Days for Our Staffing Service!

Last Friday night (March 29) as Mother Nature showed her stuff, I was very apprehensive about having no one show up for work on the 3^rd shift at KTG. The regular Team Lead was out and I had asked one of the other team members, Rico Harris (Big Brim, pictured above with Ann), to step up to the plate and act as Lead until her return. He readily accepted this task and was the person who rang my phone around 11:20PM telling me that only he and TWO others had shown up so far. I made several phone calls, all to no avail – and had to end up calling Rico back with the news that those three workers would be on their own.

With a team of only three employees when the norm is eight - Rico Harris, Annie Osby and Junior Davis worked diligently throughout the night and completed the shift. Annie, being the only female, stepped up and coordinated the process – giving the guys instructions as to what she needed them to do while she did all of the palletizing. To put this into perspective, production for a team of eight is 75-80 pallets per shift. Annie completed 43 alone! BRIM, ANNIE and JUNIOR - You three showed leadership and dedication. These are qualities that would make any employer proud. Great job!

Juanita Johnson
juanita@advancememphis.org

Friday News Update

UNBANKED TO BANKED: More Than 40 Graduates Open Bank Accounts

In the last 2 months, more than 40 of our Jobs for Life grads and Staffing Service employees have opened bank accounts with Independent Bank. None of these individuals have ever had bank accounts before. Now they are in a position to deposit and cash checks without paying a fee, and to begin saving.

When did you open your first bank account? Did you open it on your own, or did someone open it for you, and put some money in it to get you started? Have you ever considered how your bank has helped you with major purchases? Have you thought about how essential a checking account is in your day to day life?

Here are some things we've heard people say upon opening account:

"I just walked into a bank for the first time. You know I never had a bank account before."

"He said they were even gonna send me a bank card and checks in the mail."

We thank Independent Bank for helping with this daunting process, and we praise God that so many grads have taken a significant step towards financial independence.

Washington Scholar Graduates from UT

In the early years of Advance Memphis's ministry, we operated a program called Washington Scholars, where excellent students from Booker T. Washington Highschool, here in the neighborhood, were chosen to participate in internships and job training. Scholars then received a scholarship to use towards college, as well as a guaranteed paid internship with Advance Memphis after graduation. While we've discontinued the Washington Scholars program in order to focus our efforts entirely on adults, we're so pleased to share that one of our Scholars, Michael Russom, has graduated from the University of Tennessee, and is now serving his internship here at Advance. He has also been offered a position with Nashville City Schools, with the Nashville Teaching Fellows. We're proud of all Michael has accomplished, we're grateful for his work at Advance Memphis, and we wish him well as he goes on to a career in teaching!

It's exciting to go from 7 employees to 170 in one year. And the Memphis Business Journal noticed! We're so proud that Advance Memphis Staffing is employing so many of our Jobs for Life grads!

http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2010/02/01/daily4.html