Jason shares a small apartment in South Sacramento with his wife and three young children. His SRCC corpsmember pay is adequate to cover only a modest apartment.

He's up at 6 a.m. and is soon headed for the SRCC Center on light rail. After 7:00 a.m. roll call, he's ready to join the crew supervisor and seven colleagues for the ride to today's worksite in a wilderness area. Jason and his colleagues are clearing brush in a stream that is overgrown and has flooded on several occasions. The crew's efforts will prevent future flooding. The work is backbreaking. Jason's on-the-job training includes proper tool use, safety procedures and work ethics.

Jason has worked on other projects over the past year, including planting trees to improve Sacramento's shade canopy, providing litter abatement, installing fencing and irrigation systems, building park trails, performing minor home repairs, weatherizing homes for low-income residents, and providing recycling services.

By mid-afternoon, Jason's workday is done. He and his crew return to the SRCC Center. At 3:30 p.m. he begins his education classes at the John Muir Charter School. His goal is to earn his high school diploma. His school day ends at 5:45 p.m. Tired and hungry, Jason is on his way home.

He recently married his longtime partner and former Corpsmember, Tiffany, who in 2004 was recognized by the SRCC as Corpsmember of the Year. After he graduates, he plans to attend Sacramento City College.

What has he accomplished? Not only what can be seen - a cleared stream, an A on a test - but something that he feels deep down: He has meaning and goals in his life. He has hope. He has learned that he can learn.