Marc Sandoval - A True Life Story
3/1/2010
Picture this… You are standing in Detroit’s Campus Martius Park as a bone-chilling blast of cold races past you one morning in mid-January. It’s freezing outside. Freezing. The ground squeaks beneath your feet. Your feet become blocks of ice in your boots. Your breath freezes lifeless in midair.
On a day like today, even outdoors-loving diehards agree the temps are less than hospitable. You look around as fully bundled business people slip in and out of office buildings, zip over sidewalks and disappear quickly to escape the frigid scene. But across the way, one man lingers. He’s taking his time. Seemingly unaffected by the bitter cold. You wonder, “Why would anyone be out here in this frozen cityscape? And why on earth is this man smiling?”
The answer is simple. He’s out here because there’s work to be done. And he’s smiling because this place, frozen as it may be, is his office. Spacious. Historic. Epic. Marc Sandoval’s workspace stretches west to the Lodge, east to I-375, north to I-75, and south to Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit River.
For Sandoval, there’s no desk to put his feet on. No executive restroom. No employee fitness facility. But there are 39 miles of sidewalk, hundreds of trash receptacles and acres of landscaping that all need some tender loving care.
Fortunately, Sandoval is just the guy for the job. A graduate of Goodwill’s Moving Men & Women to Economic Independence program, Sandoval works as a crew leader for Clean Downtown, an initiative developed by business leader Roger Penske and the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Clean Downtown is a dynamic collaboration of businesses, foundations and nonprofits designed to strengthen downtown Detroit’s competitive advantage by restoring pride in public spaces and keeping the streets clean.
The Clean Downtown training and employment experience has enabled hundreds, like Marc, to reunite with families, pursue education, move to independent housing and achieve self-sufficiency.
This morning, as with every morning,Sandoval is on a mission. He thoroughly inspects the hedges and ground cover around Campus Martius, sweeping snow aside to find bits of paper and trash. As he moves, he collects cigarette butts and other garbage thrown carelessly on
the ground by people who don’t yet share his pride for the city.
“I’ll tell you,” he confides, “The thing I’ve learned most from this job is patience. To keep at it like I do, you have to be patient with people. Kids throw down candy wrappers. Their parents drop coffee cups. All of that stuff ends up on my desk! But this is what I’m here for… to keep downtown tidy so people feel welcomed and want to be part of the excitement in this area.”
If Marc’s job has taught him patience, it’s also taught him not to lose hope. Things were dark for Sandoval just three years ago when he was released from an Upper Peninsula prison after serving time on an assault charge.
In six weeks, he completed Goodwill’s economic independence program, which helps men and women gain the resources and perspective needed to move from a worldview focused on dependence and entitlement to achievement and personal success. In short, Goodwill taught Marc to expect more from himself and provided connections that led to meaningful
employment and a renewed sense of purpose.
Sandoval says the program and his job with Clean Detroit have changed his life. “I don’t know where I’d be without Goodwill,” he explains. “I’ve been given a second chance. My life is productive. It’s like the slogan says, Goodwill made me trained, trusted and ready to work. I’m actually doing something good for the community and I’m loving every minute of it.”
Like all metro Detroiters who earn jobs with help from Goodwill, Marc’s employment is a step in a positive new direction. He enjoys his job but takes greatest pride in the independence it provides. Sandoval recently moved into his own home and he hopes to earn a promotion to supervisor with Clean Detroit in the next few years.
If enthusiasm is any measure of an employee’s potential, Marc has a solid career ahead of him. He faces each task with a positive attitude that expresses thanks for the opportunity he’s been given. And somehow, that warmth of spirit is more than enough to keep him going – even on the coldest days in downtown Detroit. “Besides,” he says, “spring will be here soon. And that’s when the business of picking up really picks up!”
To hear in Marc's own words, hit the play button:If you were inspired by Marc's story and would like to see more of this from Goodwill please donate by clicking here.