\u201cIt\u2019s nice to be able to find odd jobs to earn a little extra money,\u201d said the 39-year-old.<\/p>\n
An Arizona native from the Navajo reservation, Nephew said he tries to help his aging parents as much as possible. The additional work he finds at the Day Labor Center is a welcome relief.<\/p>\n
However, when he\u2019s unable to land surplus work, Nephew admits he sometimes becomes discouraged, and wonders if the American dream is only meant for other people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stay motivated by getting up everyday ready to work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A program of the Bridge Emergency Shelter, the Day Labor Center has connected some 1,300 workers with over 250 employers to complete more than 2,400 jobs since it opened three years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best feeling is knowing that people will be able to feed their families,\u201d said center manager Anna Bousquet. \u201cThat sense of satisfaction and accomplishment the workers get is integral to their ego when earning a living.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adamant that the service is neither a handout nor employs undocumented workers, Bousquet said she shares the laborers depression and anxiety when they can\u2019t find jobs. When residents call in to request labor, both she and her family of workers know they will be able to survive a little longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryday I pray for my jobs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Retired engineer Dick Rudolph has called on the Day Labor Center many times for various landscaping projects at his home north of Cortez. He first learned of the service through word of mouth, and said it was a \u201cperfect solution\u201d for anyone who needed odd jobs completed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Day Labor Center is a valuable resource,\u201d he said. \u201cIt not only serves residents when they need help, but it also serves the laborers when they are trying to pull themselves up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Residents needing labor simply call the center to describe the type of work, the number of laborers needed, the job site and the time when they want the work completed. Bousquet then draws numbers randomly to ensure fairness when assigning jobs. Specialty jobs, such as sheep shearing, are given to laborers with the necessary skills needed to complete the work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe serve the entire Four Corners area,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s not another service like this anywhere nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nephew and his brothers are among 10 to 20 laborers who seek extra work at the Day Labor Center. And while the American dream may appear hopeless for Nephew, he said he would like to make just one request of President Barack Obama about additional employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d ask the president to create jobs on the reservation,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d rather work closer to home.\u201d<\/p>\n