Life Essentials Helped Mark Find the Perfect Job
Life Essentials Helped Mark Find the Perfect Job
Mark Gonzales keeps pace with the steady stream of customers on a busy Friday afternoon at King Soopers, bagging groceries and retrieving carts from the parking lot. His brother, Carl, describes the job as an ideal position for Mark. “I know the job is a great fit for him. We can’t go to a ballgame or a community gathering without someone who knows him through the store coming up to say hi.”
Carl explained that Mark has had the opportunity to try a variety of jobs with employment support from Colorado Solutions’ Life Essentials program. “First he worked in fast food and then a traditional restaurant, but he wanted to try other things,” Carl described. “Mark was working at a hotel folding linens when someone suggested that he try out the courtesy clerk position at a grocery store. That’s when he found his niche.”
Lia Presnell, Mark’s job coach through the Life Essentials program, shared that Mark enjoys interacting with customers. “He’s been working for many years, and as policies change and managers come and go, the store appreciates the job coaching support I provide,” she expressed. “I help Mark adjust to new routines and help him keep his skills strong. He’s been successful for many years because of the extra support he receives.”
Carl describes the Life Essentials services Mark receives as “invaluable” to his family. “My mother is in her 80s, and I have some serious medical problems. Life Essentials provides steady customized help to Mark, even when things are challenging at home,” Carl said.
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Learn more about Colorado Solutions’ Life Essentials program.
