When Jose first connected with CareerCatchers, he was rebuilding his life after incarceration.
Living in a shared house in Gaithersburg and eager for a new start, he threw himself into job applications, empowerment workshops, and Job Club sessions. His hard work paid off: he received a job offer from UPS and finally had stable income and renewed confidence.
But Jose didn’t stop there.
Seeing how much coaching helped him, he referred his roommate Harold, who had been struggling with limited hours at a car wash. With support, Harold also secured a UPS driving- support role—bringing financial stability just as his seasonal income was dropping. Next came Eduard, the young son of one of Jose’s friends. A Montgomery College student supporting both himself and his family, Eduard needed part-time work that fit his class schedule. With CareerCatchers’ help, he was hired by UPS almost immediately. Soon after, he referred his aunt, expanding the circle of support into yet another household.
This wasn’t an isolated ripple—it was happening all across the community.
Twenty-year-old William, referred by Montgomery Housing Partnership and eager to escape a
costly commute, not only found a new job through CareerCatchers but began telling neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Soon, people outside the original program boundaries reached out for help, some even offering to pay out of pocket for the chance at career stability. Then there was the moment in the Montgomery Village library when a coach’s meeting with a client—Edward, loudly celebrating his FedEx onboarding—caught the attention of a woman cleaning the building and her partner. They approached, asked for help in Spanish, and within days were working on résumés and preparing for higher-wage opportunities. And finally, Clarence—after years of searching and months of coaching—secured a UPS job at age 60+, faithfully riding multiple buses to work each day.
These stories all share one thread: neighbors helping neighbors. Clients refer to others not because they are asked to, but because they believe everyone deserves the same chance they were given: someone to listen, someone to guide them, and someone to walk beside them until success arrives.
CareerCatchers’ work grows through community trust—and with every referral, every shared
story, and every door opened, the community becomes stronger.