Earnest W. is a family man and a gentle man who unfortunately had, over the years, spent over two decades lost in an addiction.  During that time, his wife divorced him, his kids no longer wanted him around, he lost his job, he lost his friends, and he lost himself.  Living on the streets behind McCormick Place, Earnest finally found Pacific Garden Mission – a recovery home who worked with him on building his sobriety and ultimately referred him to The Cara Program.

Through intensive training with Cara, he learned a variety of skills that landed him employment at the Tribune Company as a janitor.  He is still gainfully employed there now ten years later, has accrued multiple promotions (is now responsible for running large-scale newspaper distribution machinery), has reunited with his wife and his family, and now owns a home in North Kenwood.  Not only has he re-found himself, but he has also re-found his family – his wife, his four kids, his four grandkids, and one great grandbaby too.  To boot, over the past decade, he has referred his sister, his cousin, and several sponsees to The Cara Program so they too may find real and lasting success.  For us, Earnest embodies true life transformation and the power of The Cara Program’s mission at work.