Humans of GLISS Blog

Today we bring you the touching story of an exemplary employee, Alec, written by him!

My life before I met GLISS was basically me transitioning into this new state and city here in Washington. I’m originally from Oregon. I had gotten in trouble a few times, been through courts, sentencing and everything, so I decided to make a life out here, a better one. This is when I went to go into Gliss!

At the time it was just hard for me to sleep in while living at the sober house. Our building was under construction at the time. I decided I’m going to go out and see if I can get work because eventually I’m gonna need to pay for rent! My house owner tells me to go hit up GLISS. I knew about them already because a while back, in Oregon, I used to work for GLISS so I figured why not give it another try again!

Surely enough they were able to get me a full time job that same day!

I can assure you I was surprised and nervous about it happening so soon. I decided to go with it despite my anxieties. Look at me now two months deep into the job. It’s not an easy job either. I am working muscles I haven’t worked before, but I find myself getting stronger everyday with doing this job! ☺️ It’s a challenge I am happy to endure! The crew makes the job enjoyable as well. Just felt like this was a real blessing in my life, it came so quick and unexpected, just really grateful and appreciative. ☺️

*We ask every employee what piece of advice or positivity would you share with someone you crossed paths with right now*

Now you ask me is if some stranger came up to me and asked me for advice or encouragement, I’d tell them this saying that’s helped me be sure of myself and it’s this: “You can take from a fisherman, but a fisherman still knows how to fish.” Which means to me that, you can take money from me, but I still know how to get it? Another I like is “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” For me that means, “How do I know I can’t get that job if I don’t open my mouth and ask, the worst they can say is no.” Then that just means on to the next if they do say no! Another I really really like is, “Too blessed, to get stressed.” Which to me tells me, to look at where I am at and my accomplishments, to where I was a few months ago behind bars. Feeling blessed more which helps me live a happy life and I’m able to laugh and have good times with my coworkers and the people in my treatment classes!