At the age of 19, Anthony battled a toxic relationship with those around him which resulted in incarceration. With a lengthy sentence in front of him, Anthony was determined to correct his behavior and turn his life around for good.

Due to his great determination, Anthony’s sentence was up for review and he was released on parole, allowing him to return to society.

After his incarceration, he met an inspiring career coach at Abe Brown Ministries who connected him to the Feeding Tampa Bay FRESHforce program, which aims to provide workforce development to individuals with barriers to employment.

With a new perspective on life, he decided to join the CDL truck driver training with Feeding Tampa Bay's support. In just 10 short weeks, Anthony earned his CDL Class B license and a new set of employability skills. Since then, he has been promoted to Neighborhood Partnerships Coordinator overseeing Hardee, Highlands and Polk County.

“This is my dream job to serve the community”- Anthony said.

Anthony’s testimonial exemplifies what the FRESHforce program is designed to do: empower neighbors with the knowledge and skills they need to obtain stable employment. Feeding Tampa Bay’s FRESHforce program has allowed graduates like Anthony to serve their community and find their dream job - and you can too! Learn more about FRESHforce.