Before most of Glendale wakes up, two vans are already loaded, packed with breakfast, lunch, water, and electrolytes. Inside are up to twenty people ready to work. For Mia Jennings, that early morning routine has become something she counts on.
“This program has enabled me to do not just that but a lot more,” Jennings said.
Jennings recently got out of prison. Before that, she was homeless. Today, she and her sister Roberta Serrano show up together every day through Glendale Works. This program partners with Phoenix Rescue Mission to connect homeless individuals with paid work cleaning city parks and the Glendale landfill.
More Than a Paycheck
For five-and-a-half hours of work, participants earn $76, above minimum wage. But Benjamin Herrera, a reach out coordinator for Phoenix Rescue Mission, says the money is only part of what the program offers…