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"I'VE BEEN IN YOUR SHOES BEFORE" - MEET THADDIUS
Many job seekers often hear the same expression from people who help them search for a new opportunity, “I’ve been in your shoes before.” But few resonate those sentiments the way Thaddius Mueller can when an applicant’s life experiences include potential employment roadblocks like mental illness, addiction, and past incarceration. Mueller offers a simple approach when it comes to matching jobs with clients, “I try to find out what they want to do. Because I don’t want to just find them a job. Because if you just find a job, it doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy.”
Before becoming a Peer Support Specialist in Caminar’s Jobs Plus program in Solano County earlier this year, Mueller endured a treacherous path. As a child, he was sexually abused and he began consuming alcohol around the time he started elementary school. Ongoing abuse in his home led to him being placed in foster care. Trouble escalated for Mueller during his teen years, resulting in being sentenced to the California Youth Authority and, ultimately, the adult prison system.
Now the 45-year-old Solano County native chooses to focus on where he is headed next, by enriching the future for others whose paths resemble his. Read more about Thaddius' journey on our blog.
49ers PRIDE COLLECTION BENEFITS THE YOUTH SPACE
The San Francisco 49ers, a long-time and valued partner of Caminar and our divisions, launched a new 49ers PRIDE Collection in celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
100% of the 49ers proceeds from collection sales will be donated to local LGBTQ programs, including San Francisco LGBT Center, Oakland LGBTQ Center, and our LGBTQ Youth Space in San Jose.
Our LGBTQ Youth Space program is honored and grateful to be a beneficiary of this exciting new collection.
Please visit 49ers.com/PRIDE to view the collection and make purchases.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
Celebrating In-Kind Contributions from Valued Partners
Caminar’s Project Ninety division recently received a generous renovation project grant from the Housing Industry Foundation (HIF). HIF is a nonprofit based in San Mateo that links housing industry partners and vendors with nonprofits to support them in providing housing to people who might otherwise be homeless. In 2019, Caminar benefited from a HIF garden installation at Redwood House.
This year, a Project Ninety recovery residence in San Mateo will gain an enhanced driveway and pathway to access the renovated outdoor garden. Project Ninety’s executive director, Jim Buckner, shared that clients living in this housing site — men participating in a California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)-funded recovery program — are delighted about the upgrades and have committed to providing on-going site maintenance.
We are grateful for the partnership with HIF, which allows us to enhance the living conditions for clients in our programs.
WHY I SUPPORT CAMINAR
“You do such important work to offer a safe haven and foster acceptance and inclusivity. I had the privilege of attending a presentation from the Youth Space and want to support it.”
- Donor to our LGBTQ Youth Space
SUPPORT CAMINAR THROUGH AMAZONSMILE
AmazonSmile is a simple way to support Caminar every time you shop, at no cost to you!
For more information, please visit smile.amazon.com/about or our Caminar blog.
