From Darkness to Downtown: Kris LaFrance’s Journey with The Worker
From Darkness to Downtown: Kris’s Journey to Hope
When Kris LaFrance and his wife came to St. Joseph The Worker, they were — in his words — “tired of being broke.” Both were unemployed and living at the City of Phoenix’s homeless encampment when they decided to take a chance on The Worker.
“I’d put in two to three hundred applications,” Kris said. “Indeed, LinkedIn, Craigslist — everywhere. I wasn’t hearing anything back.”
That changed when he met with Michelle at The Worker, who helped him craft a new resume and cover letter that reflected his strengths. “They didn’t treat me like an addict or a homeless person,” he said. “They saw me as a person. They told me, ‘You got this.’”
Partnering for Purpose: Downtown Phoenix Inc. Steps In
That encouragement led Kris to apply for a role with one of The Worker’s Preferred Business Partners — Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DTPHX).
A few weeks later, he received the message that changed everything: he’d been hired as a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador.
“I was so tickled pink,” Kris said, remembering the moment he told his wife. “It was a great, great feeling — like I finally made it.”
Today, Kris walks the heart of Downtown Phoenix each day, helping visitors find everything from local restaurants to colorful murals like his favorite one — the “You’re Awesome” wall. “It’s my favorite because it’s so motivational,” he said. “I make sure to pass by that mural every day.”
A Company That Truly Cares
For Kris, his new role is about more than a paycheck. It’s about belonging to a team that values him as a person.
“The great thing about this job is they legitimately care,” Kris said. “If it’s getting too hot, they tell us to go inside. My manager worked with me so I could make my 12-step meetings. Even our CEO recognized me one day and just smiled and joked with me — that meant a lot.”
That kind of leadership, Kris says, makes Downtown Phoenix Inc. the kind of company people want to work for — one that treats its employees like people, not positions.
“They want to make sure our home and work life work,” Kris said. “It’s motivation to stay with the company, because it means you can have some fun and still be cared for.”
A Beacon of Hope — Made Possible by You
Now, Kris not only serves as an ambassador for Downtown Phoenix — he’s become one for The Worker, too.
“It was the beacon that helped me get back out of my own darkness,” Kris said. “Thank you to the donors who make it possible — from the bus passes to the shoes that got me started at work. You helped me find a career, a community, and a purpose.”
Every gift to St. Joseph The Worker creates more stories like Kris’s — where a job becomes a life rebuilt, and a partnership becomes a pathway to purpose.
[Donate Today → theworkeraz.org/donate]
