Meet the Workforce First Program

The Other Ones Foundation’s largest current offering is the Workforce First Program, which helps homeless individuals get off street corners ofAustin by providing them the opportunity to work in service of their community by participating in large-scale environmental clean up, subsidized housing improvements, public art maintenance, and sheltered animal enrichment. Individuals in the program earn $15 an hour and are provided with lunch and transportation to the work site. They are also offered and encouraged to participate in supportive services aimed at breaking down barriers to permanent employment and housing.

Over half of the Foundation’s lifetime budget has gone directly into the hands of homeless individuals in the form of cash payments for work done making our city cleaner!

Here are the stories of a few people who have participated:

“What working for The Other Ones Foundation did for me, it instilled work values back in me that I had lost over the years of being homeless and living on the streets. And I found values that made me realize I didn’t wan to be flying a sign ever again.” -Ben

Ben is a veteran who lived under a bridge in North Austin for nearly ten years. When we met him, he didn’t have much faith in the system. Though skeptical at first, he wound up working on the Workforce First crew for three months, and his outlook began to transform. As a result of his work with us and our community partners, Ben is now living independently in his own apartment, and has a full time job he enjoys.

“We were out in a park and they came walking up to us and said, ‘You wanna work?’ We said, ‘Heck yeah!’ It’s just been a blessing. I love the job: you get lunch, you get to work outdoors….Some days you just get lucky.” -Dave

Since working with TOOF, Dave has been able to open a savings account and start saving $25 each day he works, secured vital documents, and received much needed medical care, all while keeping Austin clean and green!

We can’t say how blessed we are to be able to play a part in helping these folks find direction and inspiration. Here’s hoping we can expand this work and bring this impactful program to more people!