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Today is very important to Tony Robert, a participant in Palo Alto's seasonal worker program for homeless people. Tonight, Robert will say good-bye to his seven-month-long life of homelessness.

The 12-week-long program is set up to help homeless people get back to work. The city and its partner, Springboard-a nonprofit organization to help low-income people find and keep a job-provide shelter, transportation, money for food and clothing and a $10 stipend for hourly work. Participants are employed in the city jobs that are vacant.

Started four years ago, the program has graduated 38 homeless people, about 70 percent of the program's recruits. By Nov. 9, when the fall program ends, the number will increase to 44. Robert, is a participant of the latest phase of the program, the city's accounting division from 8 am to noon , and also in the print shop from 1 to 4

"I am not homeless anymore!" Robert said happily the other afternoon. " Tonight I'm gonna move in an apartment in Mountain View.., "The American Red Cross gives me $1,150 to make a deposit, and gives me time, while I am working seasonally, to look for a job permanently. What's more, the Heaven House is going to to help me buy house, as long as I can stay where I am for a year and pay 30 percent of the rent. I am looking forward for my future."

Kathy Espinaza-Howard, who oversees the city's program, said "By the seasonal worker program, we try to furnish people with a chance -- an opportunity to get back to work and help people to obtain a permanent job after the program."

Starting a new job can be difficult for everyone, especially the homeless who have had difficult times. Elliott Brown, co-president of Springboard, said, that "it's very difficult for people to just put aside all of their personal problems and come and work eight hours everyday."
This factor may for the reason that there are still 30 percent of participants who cannot complete the program.

"They deserve the chance to see whether they have the chance to work out or not.," Brown said" True, some people drop out, but a lot of people actually do well. There's even one who graduated a year and a half ago who makes more money than I do now."

It sounds like a fable, but said it's true, Brown said. . "Actually, there are a lot of stereotypes about homeless people that are not all true," he added. "Some of those homeless people who end up homeless may have quite good education and a lot of skills, just like you and me. They just have a lot of bad luck. And the difference here is that, if something bad happened to me, I have friends who can take care of me, or I can with my parents back in New York, but those unlucky people just don't have necessary support around them at that time. So what they need is a push and a kind of support."

"I am not a useless guy!" Tony Brown Before becoming homeless, Robert said, he had worked as a system manager for McDonald and then as assistant manager for another restaurant for several years, but got fired and later became a thief.

"When I was 17 years old, I left St. Croix to mainland America all alone, with $2000 and a hope for better life. I never expected I would do such bad things and I am now totally remorseful. Bible leads me to a new life and the work program gives a chance. All because He can hear."
Robert hopes after the program, he can find a permanent job in a restaurant.

"I want to give my family a better life," Robert said so with a smile and hope on his face, then he drove red car away to his new apartment, with his wife sitting in it and his second son sleeping in it soundly.