Gentlemen,
Stories like these just continue coming ....
Robert Rashford is one of my more successful students of homeless recovery. He currently lives at our first residential rehab project on Old Memorial Hwy. He since has been hired by our private sector partner, Mobile Auto Glass Repair, moving up to a sales position at one of their carwash locations. On one of his first days of pitching auto glass repair he transacted five commercial sales which by all accounts is a substantial day in the sales arena, says his new employer Rob Arnold.
What's more, Robert is one heck of a social engineer in the blogosphere world where tens of hundreds and I think even thousands of online followers as far away as Australia read and comment about his experiences on the streets as a recovering homeless man. His blog is a personal journal giving tips on street survival combined with anecdotal yet intriguing stories capturing the unvarnished reality of homeless plight.
Many from his cyber audience have encouraged him to write about these struggles and his successes to help others understand the hidden side of homelessness. He just finished writing the eBook version about this journey recently self-published on Amazon.com. Since the release of his eBook titled: Yelling into the wind, he was featured as a guest on BlogTalkRadio this past Saturday morning to talk about his book.
When our homeless candidates receive help from our Homeless Initiative we only ask in return that they become a foot solider for the same brand of homeless recovery that helped them get off the streets. Robert fulfills this obligation to duty almost as a daily ritual. Through his blogosphere network he his has connected me to many professionals and homeless devotees in establishing a nonprofit organization and website. Through the reach of his blog audience he has been contacted by the St Pete Times spending a day with him out on the street; and if that wasn't enough an award winning producer contacted him about a possible HBO documentary.
I would like to think that the Sheriff's Office has played a small hand in this success even though Robert has the innate motivation that very well would have produced these results on his own. At the very least, helping him with a residence and a full-time job certainly helped nurture these attributes that were always present.
Like I have always said: It's not about blankets and boxed lunches -- It's about, rehousing -- rehabilitation and a little redemption.
It's yet another compelling story of success and another proof-positive indicator that we are on the right track.
Thanks for all your support!!
p.s. This is the link to the blogtalkradio segment featuring Robert.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebutterflyeffect/2012/03/04/poetryspoken-word-open-mic
Deputy Steven Donaldson
Badge# 4153
Homeless Initiative
7202 N Gunn Hwy
Tampa, Fl 33625
LOL, I like it! I don't actually have that many followers. However, I believe I have been read that many times I'm sure.
http://www.facebook.com/HelpfulMarketer?ref=hl
and see the cool things I'm doing now!
2 comments:
Wooo Hoooo
DD mentioned Australia "oi oi oi"
How cool Rob...
You are certainly accomplishing what you originally set out to do,,,just not in the way you thought you would!!!!
I am so proud of you!
You have accomplished soooo much in soooo little time....and to be honest we ALL knew you could and would do it...
You just have the heart for it...
GREAT, FANTASTIC, I love coming to your blog and reading about the "next step" in your life.
Onya DD for being such a great guy too.
Sure thing! If you want you can also Facebook me and hang out with some of my other friends from Australia. They do amazing work for homelessness has well. Anything you need!
Post a Comment