The food lines aren't the only lines growing. The lines at the unemployment office continue to grow too. However, one man said enough is enough and decided to take his job search to a different level.
The side of the road is probably the last place you would find James Thomas a year ago. An experienced electrician, the 47 year old North Carolina native moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina only six weeks ago to find work.
"I figured I would just come down here and do something I always wanted to do,” said Thomas. “I wanted to move to the beach and work, it didn't turn out that way.”
Thomas said the street reach ministry is a blessing, he's staying there for now. Even though he said he spent a few nights outside. This is a chapter in his life he never expected to write. "I Lost my job because I got my ankle broken and wasn't able to do worker's comp or unemployment because I work and I've been paying the house for 15 years and there it goes."
Thomas said he was out of work. He's just glad his 10 year old daughter is ok living with her mother. "Very humbling experience for me over the last year,” said Thomas. “It brings you right back down to earth. If you think it can't happen to you, it can. “You gotta do what you gotta do to survive and eat and put a roof over your head."
James said it's tough to find a job when you don't have an address or a phone number. Even the phone number on hit sign belongs to the street reach homeless shelter. Thomas said he's made about 150 phone calls, gets up at 3:30 in the morning and heads to the temp agency hoping for any kind of job he can find.
"A lot of other people who probably got it worse than I do so I've been through a lot in the past year so it puts everything in perspective."
James said me he found the cardboard for his sign in a dumpster and home depot lent him some string and a magic marker, a great sign people are helping each other right now.
Web Search powered by YAHOO!
|
NewsNews
One man took his job search in his hands
By:
|
SCNow
Published: March 31, 2009
Published: March 31, 2009
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
MoreAdvertisement
View More:
Food Lines,
James Thomas,
Job Search,
Labor,
North Carolina,
South Carolina
Not what you're looking for? Try our quick search:
Reader Comments
*Facebook Account Required to Comment. If you are not already logged into Facebook, please click the comment button to do so.Deal of the Day
Advertisement
Weather
Latest News Video
Advertisement
Advertisement