Jesse arrived at Small Sums ready to start something new. Immediately, you could see the excitement and relief he had after a long journey to get to our office. He expressed that not only was it his first time ever riding the train, but this would be his first job EVER!! Jesse had just been released from federal prison two weeks ago and has already landed a job doing maintenance work. He was full of appreciation and was adjusting to the new world after being incarcerated for more than half his life.

While speaking with Jesse, you could see his passion to change and ensure that his future wouldn’t be determined by his past.  With the world feeling so new, Jesse told us, “I gotta do some catching up”.

Jesse’s goals are simple—work, live well,, and go see our beloved Minnesota Vikings play in the new stadium. This may seem easy for some but for Jesse, this is just the beginning. When asked what people should know about him, he stated, “I’m the most outgoing person I know, but right now I’m the most nervous person in Minneapolis”. He described his mindset moving forward as “Exuberant” and “Happy as hell”.

Small Sums is just a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to making sure that Jesse’s second chance starts off on the right foot. We were completely in awe of his resilience and passion and can’t wait to see where he goes.