Can I be honest for a minute?
I only did it because I didn’t want another job.
Yeah, part of why I started Workforce was selfish. I didn’t want to clock in at somebody else’s job.
In the fall of 2023, The Great Raleigh Cleanup was three years old. Our volunteers had built a juggernaut and somewhere along the way they’d created a job for me that I never saw coming. It took up about as much time as a full-time job. It just didn’t pay like one.
I knew I had to figure out how to do more. And at that time, doing more meant picking up more litter. That was about as far ahead as I could see.
I could’ve just put more volunteer cleanups on the calendar. For whatever reason, I kept coming back to the idea of paying people experiencing homelessness and other crisis to do the work. I can’t tell you exactly why that was the idea I stuck with. I’m glad I did.
I’m glad I talked with Maggie Kane about it after yoga. I’m glad she said yes when I asked her to partner with us. I’m glad Councilwoman Christina Jones helped us get that first $12,000 in seed funding (dang i should have asked for more.) And I’m glad the City of Raleigh saw what this crew could do for our city and what a paid employment could mean for someone who needed one. The City made an investment that changed the direction of this organization and honestly, changed my life.
Today marks exactly three years of Workforce. In those three years, our crew has removed 299,017 pounds of litter. We’ve paid $175,381 in wages to 112 members of our community.
A couple of months ago, we had a steak dinner for Johnny’s 66th birthday. More than 20 people from the Raleigh Cleanup community came out to celebrate him. I think about that night when I think about what this program has become.
(Side note: Go to Peddler’s if you’ve never been. 🤤)
Three years ago, I was trying to figure out how to get more litter picked up and keep doing this work. Today, I have an uncle I didn’t know I needed. And I have a crew that counts on me to make sure there’s more work.
To everyone who supports and champions this program, thank you for all of it. The financial contributions. The clothes and hygiene supplies. The words of encouragement.
To my Workforce crew, thank you for showing me what it takes to survive and what bravery is. Thank you for letting me get to know you and for reminding me how much it matters to be seen and treated with dignity.
Happy three years.
Preston
