Homeless Nevada: Rennie (Reno Works)

In our reporting on Homeless Nevada this past year, we have brought you stories of participants in the Reno Works program.

It's one of the City of Reno programs designed to help people with unemployment and homelessness.           

Reno Works is a 12-week program where participants get paid to work and learn important skills they can turn into employment. They also learn life skills and money management.

In the end, many of them leave not only with a job, but stable housing.

According to the city's annual report on homelessness, the Reno Works Program has an 80% success rate with 15 graduates last year.

Here's a story produced by the City of Reno: 

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Rennie (R): "I would just say, go for it. That's the thing. Just do it. Because, once you get through the program, if you dedicate yourself to the program, good results will happen."

Jamie (J): "Reno Works is a joint partnership with Volunteers of America and the City of Reno. And he was one of the participants that had applied for the program. He was going through some medical issues at the time and staying in the shelter. So he had a big decision. He wasn't working as much. He's staying here at Marvel Way, and when he was getting approved for the housing piece, they were approving him at 60% AMI for the community.

And he wouldn't be able to afford that. So we had, facilitated some conversation with Marvel Way and, you know, getting him something he can afford. And he ended up, I believe, qualifying for the 40% unit or 30% unit. And then, he was still making kind of a decision on whether he would be able to work and, you know, like maintain housing.

And I was kind of instrumental in, 'Hey, you know, you need to take this job if you're gonna medically, you know, heal in your own place where you're not surrounded.' And there was a point to where he was in the hospital and, he didn't know if he was going to have a bed when he went back. So, I'm like, Rennie, we can't keep doing this, and we need to get into housing."

R: "It's been quite a journey. And I think if anyone that sees me now and that they're like, you were there last year and now you're here. It's kind of amazing. I graduated in November. Raley's ended up hiring me and they were one of the partners. So I got a job at Raley's and I'm working as a courtesy clerk over there. I bag groceries and push carts."

Jessie: "The partnership with Reno Works and Raley's is amazing. It gives the community a chance to get those unfortunate people a chance to get back on their feet and get their life back together. Rennie builds relationships, and that's big here at Raley's - especially with our customers and the team members. Once you build a relationship, you build a trust, and that puts everything together."

R: "You get the ultimate—the ultimate was to get me in here and get me out of the shelter. So I could thrive, you know. And I have. Obviously, I'm doing a lot of Raley's here, and I'm working really hard and people see that. For individuals that're thinking about applying to Reno Works - go for it because honestly, it'll help you move forward."

J: "Rennie was one of the best participants. Always showed up with a smile on his face despite what he was going through, he still supports the program to this day, comes to graduations. He was amazing."

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Join us on our Friday broadcast where we will look at the city's Clean and Safe Team - who they are, and how they help people one-on-one in our homeless community.Â