Still seeking work: Sunrise/Whitney residents share struggles with unemployment

The state's high unemployment rate has been a concern for many in the Las Vegas Valley, but there is help and hope even in the challenging times.

Veronica Louis went the maximum number of weeks on unemployment.

"I worked at a pain clinic in Rush Hospital in Chicago," Louis said. "When that fell through, I had to move back in with my parents (in Sunrise Manor)."

The 29-year-old spent most of her adult life working health care-related jobs in the valley.

"I was doing home health care and the jobs just dried up," Louis said. "That's one of the problems with that job. I have a passion for it, but it isn't stable. You could have five clients one day and none the next. The clients can end up being hospitalized or passing away."

The position she worked was akin to that of a substitute teacher, where she worked as needed, with no guarantee of hours.

"I started out making $10.50 an hour and getting great medical benefits," Louis said. "They paid for mileage, and I worked my way up to $12.50. I took a break to do other things for a few months, and when I came back they had dropped the mileage payments. The pay went down to $9 an hour and the insurance became so ridiculous it wasn't worth having. Then there just weren't any jobs."

Louis put the two years she was looking for work to use, studying biochemistry in the pre-med program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

"I'm hoping to go to medical school," she said.

About a year ago Louis learned about FIT, the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow.

"They found me another job doing home health care right away," Louis said. "They're also helping me with paperwork and getting to the next step."

FIT isn't simply a job agency. The FIT website declares that the 501(c)(3) charitable organization empowers motivated unemployed and underemployed Nevadans through individual mentoring, resources and support for education, training and employment preparation.

That includes a lot of things such as providing gas cards and bus passes to help clients get to jobs and helping with necessary paperwork, licensing and certificates.

"Some people will have the skills for the job but not the $80 to buy the shoes that are required for the job," said Jennifer Adams, a case manager for FIT. "We help people get the tools so that people can become more desirable for employers."

The organization also has training programs, both at its offices at 1931 Stella Lake St. and on the job.

"In Veronica's case, she already had the skills for the job ; for instance, she had experience with phlebotomy, but some of her certifications needed to be updated," Adams said. "We're also helping her out with vouchers for things like a physical, TB tests and fingerprinting, which are all required for the position and cost money she doesn't have."

Louis is again between jobs but is confident that Adams will have her working again soon. She intends to continue her studies at UNLV while she works.

"I'm not afraid of hard work," Louis said. "Home health care often includes changing adults' diapers, helping large adults move from place to place in the home and even some rehabilitation work. It's hard, but it's well worth it, and it will pay off in the end."

While unemployment has presented considerable challenges for Louis, it has driven Michael Antognazzi closer to the edge.

'We're just glad we haven't had to sleep on the streets," Antognazzi said.

Antognazzi, a native Nevadan born and raised in the mining town of Gerlach, lived in the Reno area until he moved to Las Vegas a few years ago. Last January he was working as a porter at a Strip hotel when he lost his job. He was out of work for more than a year and was scheduled to start a job on Jan. 10 making ice cream through the Manpower staffing agency.

In that year, his life has been anything but stable. He lost his apartment in May and relied on the charity of friends and neighbors as he and his 3-year-old son couch-surfed while he looked for work.

"The hardest thing was trying to get the stuff my son needed," Antognazzi said. "I collected cans to get the money to buy diapers."

It's all slowly turning around for Antognazzi, thanks in large part to Family Promise of Las Vegas. The charity partners with an interfaith coalition to help provide options for homeless families. The charity connects with religious organizations that provide overnight shelter for a week or two, letting families sleep in places of worship.

"It's the only charity catering to homeless families that keeps the families together," said Ed Cotton, a member of the board of Family Promise of Las Vegas and liaison for the program at the Community Lutheran Church. "Usually the men and the boys over 16 end up at one place, and the women and younger children end up at another."

Antognazzi and his son were staying at the Community Lutheran Church for two weeks, where they were provided with beds and meals. During the day, they go to the downtown offices of Family Promise of Las Vegas, where most of their belongings are stored and where various services to help them get back on track are provided.

The process repeats itself every week or two, and next week they'll be at another church, synagogue or mosque.

"It's been a hard year, but I'm back at work, and things are starting to turn around," Antognazzi said. "I'm hoping that things will keep getting better, and we'll have our own place again soon. I'm just grateful for all the help we've gotten from everyone."

For more information about the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow, call 702-367-4348 or visit lasvegasfit.org. For more information about Family Promise of Las Vegas, call 702-638-8806 or visit familypromiselv.com.

Contact Sunrise/Whitney View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 702-380-4532.