JJ, a lifelong resident of the Lower Cape, began a career in landscaping with an established company. After years of working for someone else, he decided to branch out and start his own operation—and he turned to HPC’s REACH Project for help in charting a business path. JJ enrolled in the four-month self- sufficiency initiative and his serious and steadfast commitment was evident from the start. He never missed an individualized coaching class or goal- setting session with his case manager.

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He was also dedicated to the curriculum’s mindfulness practice, which taught him how to step beyond the hustle and bustle of fast-paced Cape Cod life to think about and envision the next step in his career. In the final REACH weeks, JJ decided that the best use of the $2,000 stipend associated with the program would be to purchase a dump trailer to haul materials and equipment.

 

Since graduating from the program in June 2022, JJ has launched Scape Cod—a graphic designer friend of his family helped with the logo—and welcomed a steady flow of landscaping jobs, including hauling brush and delivering gravel. He relies on his HPC REACH mindfulness skills to manage the stress that comes with a one-person operation. “In the morning at 7 a.m., driving to a job site, I think about what I need to accomplish in my workday, how many jobs, and at what locations—plus weather factors that come into play,” JJ said. JJ can be reached via email at scapecod15@gmail.com