Support of Friends and TRC Helps Marquitta Land a Job

As a current resident of TRC, Marquitta understands the importance of having people around you who support you. She has recently earned a full-time position at HRDI, a subsidiary of Friend Health. We talked with Ms. Nelson to get a better picture of her journey that led her here.

“I said enough was enough, and it just hit me like an epiphany; ‘why are you doing this?’ ” Nelson said. Marquitta’s journey prior to joining TRC was one filled with many challenges including substance abuse. As she recounts the story of her path towards recovery, Ms. Nelson frequently mentions the crucial support that she received from her friends Eleanor and James. When asked about how TRC was able to give her the support she needed, she told stories of how fellow residents and staff members uplifted her during moments where she would fall. They also encouraged her to thrive in her good moments too.

“That's what Ms. Franklin tells me ‘Stop living in the past.’ You know, I had a problem with that when good things would happen to me. I would look around the corner to see if something bad was waiting for me or I would expect something bad to happen because I wasn't used to getting these types of gifts” she said.

At the heart of Marquitta’s story of perseverance lies the common theme of self-sufficiency. Through a robust support structure at TRC, Marquitta was not only able to thrive at her position as a TRC desk clerk, but was also able to earn her new position as a Residential Support Worker at HRDI.

“They will not let you defeat yourself if they can help you. These people, if you fall they will try to guide you in the right direction. They help me see me. They would bring me food when I was struggling and I grew from that. I really grew from that. I said if I can get through this I can get through anything.”