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A man works to overcome his past...
Citing a common recovery mantra, Rosendo talks about how he manages to stay on track. “You must be willing to accept stuff that you can’t change,” he says. “Don’t let others get you off track, either.” |
Rosendo is very familiar with the concept of taking responsibility. “I was locked up for several years after making some bad choices,” he says. “After I got out though, I couldn’t find work.”
Discouraged but determined, Rosendo looked for a way to find a job and a home. “I love my daughter more than anything,” he says. “She changed my life, and I wanted to be there and provide for her.”
Eventually, Rosendo ended up at Breakthrough. “I’ve gotten a lot of encouragement here,” he says. Rosendo also acknowledges the spiritual support he’s experienced. “I couldn’t be who I am –
a good father or someone with a future
– without God.”
As he deals with life issues, Rosendo is already hard at work to secure long-term employment. “I volunteer as a dental assistant, and I’m taking classes, too.” He also works full-time at a new cafe near Grant Park.
He is thankful for an employer who decided to overlook his police record and focus instead on his desire to work hard. “A lot of people don’t want to take a chance on homeless people because they think we don’t really want to work.”
Rosendo’s attitude is proof otherwise. Between work, classes and time at Breakthrough, his days are long. “It’s not easy, but you gotta do what you gotta do,” he says.
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