A New Lease On Life: Rodney's Story

Born in Richmond, Rodney has spent most of his life in the Lower Mainland. When he started getting in trouble and using substances regularly, he found himself in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside trying to access resources to improve his life. He shares, "I never thought I would live in the Downtown Eastside. I never thought I would become homeless in my life.” While staying at a recovery house nearby, he heard about Mission Possible from other residents, some of whom were already in our Employment Readiness Program (ERP).

Rodney receives enough pension to get by, but he knows that he wants more financial stability and to find a way to help his community. "I came in [to Mission Possible] with a good attitude," he shares. This positivity and his strong work ethic shone through, and after just two months on the Clean Team, Rodney was hired to work a rotation of various Business Improvement Area (BIA) routes, leading litter pickup crews through Chinatown, Strathcona, and Gastown five days a week. He loved how much he got to walk around and appreciated the routine, sharing, “I know what I'm doing everyday and I get to lead a couple of guys. It's good, I'm enjoying it.” Even after he sustained a foot injury, he remained tenacious and kept moving until it healed, something he is proud of himself for accomplishing.

Though at times Rodney found communicating with such a diverse group of people, both other associates and the public, challenging, he feels that he's now more patient since working at Mission Possible. He now responds to conflict with composure instead of reacting, and he knows when to disengage to keep the peace. When the opportunity to join MP's new Janitorial Team came, these skills, along with his previous work experience as a maintenance person for the Vancouver School Board, made Rodney a top candidate. As one of the first employees to be hired on the Janitorial Team, Rodney is grateful for the opportunity and glad that his supervisors saw the potential in him to take on this brand new role, “Everything that MP has done for me, I’m looking at it like a new lease on life”, he shares. 

On the Janitorial Team, Rodney can work anywhere from Monday to Saturday, with some days being a full 8-hour shift. He and his janitorial partner regularly travel around the city to complete their jobs at different community spaces, SROs, non-profits, and even our own Mission Possible offices! Even with the longer hours, Rodney remains in good spirits, sharing, “I’m just enjoying working a lot more now… I have a good frame of mind and I’m enjoying it”. 

Rodney's journey has been fulfilling, and he’s grateful for the experience and all Mission Possible has helped him accomplish. For example, through coaching and meetings with our Community Support Coordinator, he was able to reach one of his biggest goals and secure stable housing. He has recently moved into his new place and is excited to begin furnishing it. 

Looking forward, Rodney's current contract with the Janitorial team ends in January, but he is not quite ready for retirement yet. He’s working with our Employment Engagement Coordinator to keep his resume and cover letter up to date and is open to any opportunities that come his way, whether at MP or elsewhere. He wants to continue working part-time or seasonally so he can keep moving while still leaving time to do the things he enjoys, like golfing and bike riding. “I’m just happy with what my situation is right now, and I’m at that age where I don’t have any big plans, but I’d like to keep working to stay active,” he shares. 

Rodney has proved himself to be reliable, supportive, and tenacious. We are so proud of all his hard work and accomplishments, and we look forward to continuing to watch him grow!