"Give me ten more like Rhys."

When Rhys joined Bridges, he was new to Chicago and still recovering from significant personal trauma. He was quiet and soft-spoken. He had never held a job, not even a volunteer role. He needed an employer who would be patient.

Jewel-Osco was that employer. With his manager's encouragement, Rhys steadily gained confidence. He learned to communicate with others. He learned to advocate for himself. His growth was real enough that his manager started saying it out loud, repeatedly: "Give me ten more like Rhys!"

Rhys's success created the opening for someone else. Alexis, another Bridges participant, had once believed his anxiety would prevent him from ever working. Through a job-shadow experience at Jewel-Osco, Rhys stepped into a leadership role while Alexis learned beside him.

That experience led to a formal interview. Alexis was hired soon after.

Today, both young men are thriving. And Rhys's confidence keeps growing as he sees how far he's come.