Guest Story 2: Rolf

Years ago, Rolf was injured at his construction job, leaving him unable to work. Once his unemployment benefits ran out, Rolf could no longer support himself and became homeless. Rolf occasionally stayed with friends and in abandoned buildings, and no longer had the safety of a place to call home. One day, during a meal at nourish.NJ, a member of our Outreach team asked how he was doing, and Rolf began to cry. He shared that he had a stroke, which left him with a speech impairment, and also that he had lost his identification. Potential employers refused to consider him without an ID, and also assumed that he had been drinking because of his speech. Rolf wanted nothing more than to get back to work and back on his feet. Our team immediately got to work, helping Rolf get a copy of his birth certificate and accompanying him to the DMV for a state ID. With these two important steps complete, Rolf gained the confidence to apply for jobs and for a newly available housing voucher! Now Rolf is working full time at a landscaping company and lives in his own apartment. There was a time when Rolf had given up hope, and he thanks nourish.NJ for assisting him in turning his life around! Rolf couldn’t be happier and stops in often to say “hi!”. We work tirelessly to give hope to people like Rolf, who feel like they have exhausted all of their options. Each individual requires different levels of support, and our outreach team adapts to these needs, like advocating for Rolf at the DMV. You walking today helps us continue to change lives like these!