This summer I've been working with a teenager on house arrest, signing her in and out at the end of the day and mailing her paychecks to the Department of Corrections. She's a good kid who did a bad thing and she's ready and willing to take responsibility and accept the consequences, but she's also working to manage the situation so it doesn't squelch her dreams and aspirations. Having a job is an important piece of the puzzle because it shows the powers that be that she's making productive use of her time.
This isn't the first time I've worked with an employee with legal troubles. One of my key people was paying for his youthful indiscretions when I hired him 3 years ago, suffering through regular court dates and completing community service hours. With both of these people, I've felt that farmers' markets are a great setting for a new beginning. The work can be hard, but it's a life-affirming environment with tangible benefits other than the paycheck: we're surrounded by fabulous food and we learn more about it every day.
2 comments:
These folks are lucky. Lucky to have you, and lucky they didn't walk through Pioneer Square with tools of their trade, (like knives or pizza cutters) to be shot dead by "the powers that be."
What a great way to help other people get a fresh start.
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