1980s: The Early Years

By Terry Flood
Jubilee Jobs Co-Founder and first Executive Director

The early years of Jubilee Jobs were filled with energy and delight. Applicants coming from Jubilee Housing and the Adams Morgan neighborhood were finding work for sustenance, dignity, and hope. The job placement process worked—connecting eager and ready applicants with employers in need of good workers. We were grateful to be part of the larger Jubilee Community with support for ourselves and other needs of applicants.

Soon, however, we became aware of deep troubles in our city and across the country. An extreme recession, escalating homelessness, scores of refugees from war-torn areas, and a surge in drug use and addiction brought applicants struggling with desperate life situations. Need for employment was only one of the dire needs of lives in crisis.

To help these struggling applicants who needed more preparation for work, we started Cana Industries—a bulk mailing business with internships for persons coming from homelessness or in recovery. We began visiting shelters and dinner programs for homeless persons to create Job Placement for the Homeless. We partnered with Five Loaves Bakery for applicants to practice customer service. And we grew in our own capacity to listen to one another and our applicants with deeper patience, compassion, and hope.

As our first decade came to a close in June 1991, we celebrated 5,000 placements and the purchase of our own building at 2712 Ontario Road, NW, which we moved into in 1983. Our hearts filled with the joy of helping many find work to support themselves and their families. Above all, we recognized the awesome support of this small evolving ministry from so many people.