- The Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act has changed the lives of many of our younger neighbors.
- 20-year-old Eaton County neighbor Jacob Freelan has been homeless in the past.
- Watch the video above to learn about Jacob Freelan story.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm here inside of the Peckham building in Charlotte, and a program here that helps neighbors join the workforce has changed the lives of many of our younger neighbors. I caught up with one of them who says he isn't sure where he would be without this resource.
"It's tough, you know they're used to be times on the weekends I would see my mom in homeless shelters, and my sister would be there," Eaton County resident Jacob Freelan said.
20-year-old Eaton County neighbor Jacob Freelan has been homeless in the past and said he hit his lowest point in the summer of 2023.
"I had not been doing good in High School, and they had another program I was in that was online. I wasn't fitting well suit with that," Eaton County resident Jacob Freelan said.
But in late 2023, his life took a turn. He got involved with a program in Charlotte called the Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act.
"And they were like if you sign up with us, you can get career opportunities," Eaton County resident Jacob Freelan said.
I caught up with Daynan Brown, who has worked closely with Freelan over the last year. It's Brown's job to people in the workforce program. She said the goal is to help neighbors who have struggled be able to get their G.E.D. and find a job.
"It's a federally funded program, it helps support individuals ages 16-24 who dropped out of High School, so a lot of what we do is help with students who have significant barriers to employment," Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act Employee Daynan Brown said.
Freelan was able to get his GED. He tells me his dream is to do what I do for a living.
"You get to interview and hear people's stories... and I did a little research on you too. I looked at your Facebook. You were talking to the Eaton County police the other day, I just really enjoy that." Eaton County resident Jacob Freelan said.
I learned about this program when brown reached out to me on social media. She said she'd seen a previous story I did and hoped I would do a story about the workforce program.
so here I am.
As for where Freelan is now. He ended up getting an apartment of his own and has a union job in manufacturing
"I'm so proud of Jake, seeing him come from the life he has had to where he is now is remarkable to see," Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act Employee Daynan Brown said.
"I'm very glad I went down this road," Eaton County resident Jacob Freelan said.
To learn more information about the workforce innovation program, the link is down below.
https://www.camw.org/about-us/contact-us
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