James (center) with team members Willie & Jeffrey

Not that long ago, James Fye slept on whatever couch he could find. He now has the keys to his very own apartment.

The death of his mother at age 13 made James start acting out in his youth.  By the time James was 15 he got in trouble with the law and was court ordered to do community service through the Capitol Hill Business Improvement (BID) Youth Empowerment for Success (YES) program.  The YES program was a program run by the Capitol Hill BID From 2005-2008 for youth who are court ordered to do community service within the city.  Here James helped with green space beautification, removal of graffiti, maintaining National Park Service areas, and clean ups for the business community of Capitol Hill.  “The YES program showed me another part of life,” he said.

After leaving the YES Program, James still found himself in and out of jail.  At a dead end, James contacted our Operations Director, Andrew Lee, and told him the only time in his life he enjoyed working was when he was with the YES Program and was interested in working for Ready, Willing & Working.

James now works full time for Ready, Willing & Working and is an involved father for his children. “Working for Ready, Willing & Working has helped me provide for myself, my kids, and for my community in a clean environment.  It’s helped me be more responsible and caring for others.”

James has been working for RWW for over three years and noticeable progress has been made in not only his work etiquette, but also his personal development.  “We’ve taught James baby steps of having a job,” Andrew Lee said.   Lee said when James first started he would not bother to call or let anyone know if he wasn’t coming or was going to be late, but now he will call with any type of conflict or delay.  “He’s definitely come along way, and is going to go even farther.”

James recently achieved a long-term goal of getting his driver’s license and wants to start a career for himself by picking up a trade.

James says he loves living by himself and having the structure of his own place and a job to go to everyday.

“I’m doing my best, taking one day at a time,” he said.  “Life is really what you make it.”