Persistence Pays Off

Pittsburgh Community Services Inc.

Floyd Sanders

Floyd Sanders entered the offices of Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. (PCSI) at a major turning point in his life. It was 2003 and he was going through a separation from his wife and family. During this trying period Floyd turned to PCSI for help finding a job and starting his life anew.  

When Floyd entered the PCSI offices, he was greeted by Mary Ann Howard and her staff who were ready to help him realize his goals of furthering his education and obtaining a steady paying job. PCSI enrolled Floyd in the Supported Work Program (SWP) and assisted him in preparing a resume. Staff also trained him on how to prepare for interviews and eloquently express his hard-working qualities to future employers.

Floyd quickly found a new confidence in himself, and, shortly after graduating from SWP, he began searching for a job. Within a few weeks he had a call from the Allentown, office of investment brokerage firm, The Hartford. Filled with newfound confidence gained from the PCSI Supported Work Program, Floyd made the trip across the state for the interview. Days later, Floyd received a call from The Hartford informing him that they would like him to fill the position of Acquisition Specialist.  

A year after Floyd had settled into his job and his new life in Allentown, he received a call to help with a family problem in Maryland. Using the skills he had learned through PCSI, Floyd reworked his resume and found a job in Maryland with Harvard Custom Manufacturing. He assisted his family and continued to work at his job until July 2005 when he faced severe medical issues. Floyd became unable to work and lost his job.  

After all he had accomplished, Floyd seemed to be back where he had started years ago. After working odd jobs for several years while trying make ends meet, he moved back to Pittsburgh with only $450 to his name.  

The snowy, winter day he arrived in Pittsburgh, Floyd rented a room at an area YMCA and immediately set out to find employment. On his way across the city to search for a job, Floyd stopped by the office of PCSI to check in with Mary Ann Howard and her staff. They directed Floyd to work with Dr. Ruth Parsons, director of counseling & education for PCSI. Dr. Parsons assessed Floyd's situation and helped him develop a financial plan that made it possible for him to pay his rent at the YMCA two months in advance. He followed several job leads provided by PCSI and once again secured full-time employment.

Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. addresses the causes of poverty and strives to diminish its effects by empowering low-income residents of Pittsburgh to move from poverty to self-sufficiency.