Inspiration Award: Steven Morales
Selling drugs was a distraction from a life without focus that Steven knew was a dead end — literally. While serving time, Steven enrolled in New Leash on Life – USA, a training program run in partnership with JEVS Human Services behind the walls of the county jail in Philadelphia. Steven socialized, trained and rehabilitated a rescue dog named Pavlov for eventual adoption. At the same time, Steven worked on his own job readiness skills, improved time management skills, conflict resolution, and set goals for himself – for what he says was the first time in his life. When released, JEVS placed him in an internship at Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT), where he was quickly hired into a full-time paid position. Steven’s new calling and new skills made him an excellent candidate for a promotion to Animal Control Officer, and with weekly JEVS career coaching sessions, Steven landed the promotion. Steven has been working at his dream job for five years and has the purpose he was seeking.