Joshua carried everything he owned on his back.
Most items were light. Blanket. Water bottle. Rain poncho. Some were heavy. Nerves. Fears. Uncertainty.
As Joshua, who recently got out of jail and is experiencing homelessness, walked into the Better Together Second Chance job fair at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, March 5, 2026, he thought to himself, “What are they going to think of me?”
But to Joshua’s surprise, the volunteers, employers, and Better Together team members didn’t focus on his tattered belongings or past.
Instead, they gave their all to helping ease his burdens. He got his resume updated, connected with resource partners, and scheduled follow-up interviews with employers to include Publix.
Joshua was 169 job seekers who met with 15 employers and 10 resource partners at the job fair. Fifty church volunteers also helped job seekers.
Before leaving, Joshua, standing a lot taller, unpacked his feelings.
“No one judged me. There was warmth here. They honestly wanted to help me.”
Story and moments by Kinfay / Better Together
