Success Stories over the years

After graduating from Truman State University with a BA in English, I found myself ready to become part of the workforce.  However, having suffered a spinal cord injury when I was 20, the job market was limited.  High Hope was instrumental in developing a strategic plan to emphasize my abilities, not my disability.  Within a year, I interviewed and was hired by a state agency.  I now pay taxes and I’m proud of it!

Chuck Comstock

In September 1997, I suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a gun shot wound to the head. After years of extensive physical therapy and counseling, I decided that it was time that I go back to work, as I had been unemployed for the past 10 years. Vocational Rehabilitation referred me to High Hope Employment Services, Inc to assist me in finding the perfect job. Bevan, an Employment Specialist from High Hope assisted me with my resume, applications, interview preparation and tailored the job search to fit my individual needs. I have now been employed at the Dollar Tree in Kirksville since February 2008. I love the customers, my co-workers and I love my job.

 My name is Jennifer. I am 20 years old. And I got hired at Casey’s General Store in January, my job was to stack things up and make pizzas. Now I work on Thursdays and Friday nights helping out with unloading the truck on Thursday and making pizzas and answering the pizza phone. I like working nights because it is very quiet and I don’t rush to get everything done at once. I’m very glad that I have a job working at Casey’s it keeps me busy and I’m proud of the hard work that I can accomplish when I’m working. My boss is a sweetheart and I like her a lot, she works really hard too and does a good job and she cares about all her employees too. Milan is a great place to live and there are many people that are kind and caring to one another and I’m so glad that I live in this community. I live in a Residential Care Facility, I’m very thankful that I have a good job, place to live at and I’m happy that I have lots of friends to visit with in my home and I like it a lot. If I didn’t have a job in my life, I don’t know what I would do because everyone deserves to have a job and be able to work in a healthy environment. The High Hope and Trisha Buck helped me get a job at Casey’s and I like High Hopes services because they have given me so much help and confidence that I could be a good worker in any job that I was in. The High Hope has played a big role in my life and I hope that they continue to be a part of my life forever.