Unfortunately, Chicago is no stranger to violence.  In fact, in November 2010, two Cleanslate interns (Field Service Representatives) witnessed a mid-morning shooting while on their Cleanslate route in Uptown. Both interns were unharmed, but of course they were deeply rattled. 

We teach our interns that not only are they representatives of The Cara Program and Cleanslate when they are on their routes, but they are also advocates for the communities in which they work and essential components of that community’s revitalization. Therefore, we were not surprised to receive the following email from the Chicago Police Department’s Area Police Commander that afternoon: 

Dear Cleanslate,

We have two of your interns here as witnesses to a person shooting a gun.  The detectives are telling me they’ve been great in every way. They truly are committed to the company and the community. Thank you for your work. 

Despite the fact that the interns had been at work since 6AM that morning, they stayed to support the detectives until after 7PM. And, when most of us would have asked for a day off, both interns showed up to Cleanslate right on time (6AM!) the next morning. They clearly remained dedicated to their transitional jobs and to Cleanslate’s role in strengthening our communities. We are grateful for our Cleanslate interns’ sense of responsibility to the Uptown neighborhood and to their own personal paths to real and lasting success. And, it’s this accountability, dedication and team work that make Cleanslate interns great permanent employees for The Cara Program’s employment partners in the future.