Alfredo's Story Part 2
For three months, Alfredo searched for work, but his wrongful charge made employers hesitant to hire him.
Then in April, an IFRM staff member saw him struggling and made a phone call to Chuck-a-Rama. She put in a good word for him, and the manager gave Alfredo a chance to tell his side of the story. She hired him! That phone call became Alfredo’s second glimmer of hope. He finally had a steady job.
Then another opportunity came unexpectedly. While eating dinner at IFRM, a man approached Alfredo about doing drywall.
Although he had no experience, the man offered to train him and work around his strict schedule.
Today, Alfredo works three jobs—Chuck-a-Rama, drywall, and cleaning apartments. He is learning new skills, building stability, and working toward what matters most: getting his boys back. He has completed two phases of the four-phase Domestic Violence Court program and is on track to graduate by the end of 2026. He is also waiting for an apartment of his own, with help from his case manager here at IFRM, who meets with him regularly to set goals and plan his next steps.
Through it all, Alfredo says things are getting better. He has begun attending church with his former sister-in-law and his boys and says, “I feel like I belong somewhere.” When asked what he would tell himself on that first night at IFRM, his answer was simple:
“It will get better.”
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” ~Philippians 1:6
Image: Alfredo Gonzalez (left) with IFRM staff