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January 5, 2008 - Clarion Herald
'Brother' Martin works overtime to find jobs for others
By Christine Bordelon
Consider Shirone Martin an angel in the pocket of the downtrodden seeking employment in New Orleans.
Since being hired six months ago by Catholic Charities as an employment specialist at St. John the Baptist Community Center, Martin has helped dozens find employment and gain stability in their lives.
"He helped me with a job search, getting bus passes and tokens when he has them," Peter Brown, 55, of New Orleans said. Brown heard about Martin through friends and met him at the homeless encampment in Duncan Plaza.
Martin, a Catholic, is not a 9-to-5 job adviser behind a desk. He's just as often found at 5 a.m. driving clients to job interviews in Houma as he is at the community center conducting employment workshops, handing out needed toiletry items or buying work clothes for clients.
On a recent day as Brown sat in Martin's office, Martin scooted off to his car to grab a shirt for another client going on a job interview. Several others waited patiently to be assisted.
"It's a good feeling," Martin said about helping others. "I come here, and they are waiting for me. They are looking for something but the most important thing they are looking for is someone who is sincere. My thing is kindness."
Martin said he retooled the job program to better fit the needs of his clients who were not skill-less, just down on their luck.
"I had to because I didnt want to do a temporary thing (for clients)," he said. "I wanted to put something in place permanently for individuals."
Martin adheres to the motto he created: "St. John Community Center works toward residential stability." He makes personal contact with employers, sets up interview times, helps clients create and type resumes and does whatever he can to stick by it.
Because of what his clietns consider his "miraculous" ability to find employment for the homeless, he's been donned "Brother Martin."
One of his specialties is placing men in offshore positions. In fact, he's placed nine individuals in offshore jobs.
"He has been with us six months, and he has done amazing work," Steve Lenahan, Catholic Charities' assistant director of community centers. "He has a proven success rate."
Martin attributes his success to working individually with clients. He tells every client, "I work for you. What do you want me to do for you?"
"When they come in for my classes, I find out what type of employment they have had," Martin said, and "ask if they are ready for a change in their life. The same day they come in, their job search starts."
Since July, 68 people have completed his employment workshop. His goal is to graduate 100 by June 2008. After Christmas, he plans to better target females since only two of the 68 graduates were women.
Martin brings more than 20 years' experience in the employment field. He worked with Jefferson Parish as an employment specialist and with Job Corps. He knows that motivating people to take care of themselves is the first step to getting them back on track.
He said his motivation to help others came from two sources - his strong-willed mother who told him to never let another human being go hungry, and the loss of his 14-year-old child to heart problems that taught him the preciousness of life.
"I think I have a feeling of obligation to God's people," he said. "The only way to make this world better is to help God's people."
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