Marcus and his brother, Timothy, are coming up on their one-year anniversary of coming to live at the Trent Hill Center. Marcus is inquisitive and congenial; like clockwork, he stops in the administrative office every day to check in with our staff, always ending with “I hope you have a good rest of your day!” before heading back over to the house.

Recently, Marcus decided it was time to shake up his regular schedule and add a new responsibility to the mix: a job. The first step to this process, he learned, was to get an ID. Once he completed this step, he took to the internet and found Snagajob, an online marketplace that posts opportunities for hourly work. He quickly found available positions at several local fast-food chains, two of which he was granted an interview for, and soon after accepted a position atWendy’s.

His first day on the job, he explains, entailed a 30-minute training session followed by marching orders to step up to the grill area, where he cooked fried chicken, burgers, bacon and Wendy’s famous chili!

“It got easy after the first two hours,” he says, adding “I just kind of jumped into the rush!”

Motivated by the prospect of earning and saving money, Marcus has already devised a plan to save up for a car. “I started thinking big,” he says. He intends to visit the DMV soon to take the test for his driver’s permit, which will set him on the right path towards learning to drive and, eventually, getting around town in his own car.

It is because of the support of our donors and volunteers at the Trent Hill Center that residents like Marcus are able to pursue extracurricular opportunities such as employment, sports, and other hobbies. The stability and care they receive at the Center propels them towards new goals and opportunities every day.