Work Week: Luis’ Story

Hello again KCB Blog readers..

This Work Week, George, GSI’s Employment Case Manager, sat down with Luis Ibanez, a member of the GSI team. From his answers, it’s clear that working with GSI has become an important stop in the journey of his life.. one where he’s finally found some structure, some purpose, and a view of a real path forward.

Luis heard about GSI through his brother-in-law and brother.. both graduates of GSI. “They said you work with all kinds of people, and that interested me,” he said. “I want to work on myself, improve my work ethic, and gain more job experience. I feel like this is the right place for me to grow, and I really want to be part of this program.”

Before GSI came into the picture, Luis wasn’t working. A disability had kept him out of the workforce for a while.. and doubt had kept him stuck longer than he wanted. “I had to work hard to overcome my own doubts that were holding me back,” he said. “Now I’m ready to move forward, work hard, and grow.”

After getting the job with GSI, Luis was able to have stable employment, and that has made a real difference. “This has made a big difference in my life,” he said. “It gives me the opportunity to save money so I can visit my kids who live in Arizona and not show up empty-handed. Being more stable has given me that opportunity.” Just the routine of work itself has been a gift. “It feels good to have a routine that I didn’t have before. Having a place to work has given me structure, and I’ve learned to be on point with everything I do and use my time wisely.”

Beyond the job, GSI has given him access to resources and our KCB Community Center as well, where the little things like hygiene kits, clothing, TAP cards, and other small resources have helped him stay on track. “It meant a lot to me to know there was a community willing to help,” he said. “It made me feel seen and cared for, instead of feeling like I was just thrown to the side to figure everything out on my own.”

Now as he continues his work with GSI, he’s focusing more on personal goals.. things like saving money, improving his work ethic and people skills, building his resume (with George’s help), and reconnecting with his kids. “This program has given me hope that I can reconnect with my kids and work toward being able to have them with me again.”

Luis has learned some cool lessons during his time here too. His advice for others? “You can count on people and that not everyone is judgmental or intrusive. They’re just trying to help with accountability. Because of that, I’m more open to receiving help now.” And to donors and partners.. Luis says, “I would love to thank them for everything they’ve done to help me. One day, I hope to be in their position, helping places like this that have made a difference in my life.”

When George sat with me to talk about things he’s noticed about Luis, he mentioned the fact that he carries a Bible with him and will sometimes ask deeper questions. He’s also a rock collector and can talk about them all day long. He brings his bags of rocks during his downtime and sorts them out. He also loves cars.. used to work on them.. and dreams of driving trucks or doing deliveries one day. His motivation has always been his kids. And more specifically, just being with them again.

That’s Luis.. a man who went from feeling stuck to showing up every day, building structure, gaining skills, and believing for his kids. He’s growing everyday, and we’re glad to be able to help.

So as we continue this important work, let’s keep Luis in our prayers and hope along with him that one day soon he’ll be reunited with his kids and be proud of the growth he’s experienced.

Keep going Luis! Everyone here at KCB is proud of you.

Thanks for reading..

Until next time..