Helping Homeless Find Their Self-Worth through Employment

Tamika Lecheé Morales, Liberty Tax franchise owner and elementary teacher shares how she identified a need in her community and took action to empower homeless men and women by giving them a chance at employment. 

 By: Tamika Lecheé Morales

When I opened my Liberty Tax franchise, I wanted to increase our visibility and create buzz about our new office.  We really wanted to set ourselves apart from other tax companies so we hired Lady Liberty “wavers” as our mascot.

​These are the extroverted souls who wear a Lady Liberty costume and hold “promotional signs” while they rock out to music or even hula hoop as motorists pass by. As easy a job as this sounds, it wasn’t easy to find the right people, especially in the winter months.

One day, it occurred to me that nearby to my office existed an organization that I long have wanted to help called Public Action to Deliver Shelter (P.A.D.S), basically a homeless shelter to help individuals overcome their current situation. So I reached out not knowing that it would evolve into a full partnership that would change many lives. 

Liberty Tax does not judge based on race, color, sex, religion or even our past.
We are judged
by the ability to do our jobs. "
​
- Joshua Remsy, Liberty Tax Employee 

I quickly learned that one of the conditions to staying at P.A.D.S. was that in order for individuals to utilize their services, they had to be out every morning and couldn’t return until 7 p.m.  This is to encourage the homeless to look for jobs or take classes but the problem was that many companies wouldn’t employ them so many would roam the community and therefore, were accustomed to being outside in cold weather. I immediately thought to myself,  "Why not pay the homeless to wave since they are outside anyway? "

​We posted a "help wanted" sign at P.A.D.S. and even offered free tax services to all of their homeless residents regardless of employment. But that alone wasn’t enough for the homeless residents to realize that we were serious about paying them to wave. I changed my strategy. I went over the homeless shelter and made a big sign that said "Get Paid to Wave." After that, we held auditions and the rest is history. 

Above, Tim Kelly, of Liberty Tax Service catches the attention of motorists by dancing to a tune in his costume along the roadside. When polled, over 70% of Tamika's clients indicated that they heard about her office because of the wavers who bravely wave rain or shine, snow or sleet.  (Photo Credit: Christopher Hankins)

Every waver that got hired had access to unlimited coffee, tea, water, hot soup and cookies every day and  placed on our payroll.  For some, we would buy them coats, gloves and thermos just to ensure that they were warm enough. We always made sure that everyone received hand warmers. Then the word got out about how good we were treating them and that we were feeding them and paying them and more homeless came in to apply for jobs.  Many of our wavers have been working for us for years. Others eventually got new jobs but they still come back to do their taxes with us. On days that were just too cold to have a waver outside, we would receive phone calls asking us where our wavers were because they missed not having them on the street waving at them and making them smile.
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Our company has changed many lives. For example, one of my wavers became a ”lead waver” and began holding the auditions for us, creating the work schedule and training new hires.  He became so good that businesses would contact our office and ask if our waver was available to wave for their companies as well. Some of my wavers were even promoted to marketers.

I can’t tell you that all of the homeless hires were a good choice ... We did encounter some hiccups but nothing nearly as close to the amount of business they brought into our location. 

Over 70% of our clients stated in a poll, that they heard about our office  because of our “wavers.” This influenced their decision to come into our business and equated to a significant revenue increase for us.

Thank you Liberty Tax Service for giving me the
​opportunity to work and support my family ...
​ I am expecting now at the end of February to move out of the homeless shelter and into our new home."
​
- Joshua Remsy, Liberty Tax Employee ​

It is hard to put into words the emotion that comes over you when you are finally able to not  judge a book (people) by its cover (their looks, situation or present condition); to know that you are providing opportunities that many businesses are too afraid to do.  It is even more powerful to see these men and women go from feeling the negative effects of  being treated like a third-class citizen to being respected as a contributing member of society … all because you took a chance on them. 
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​As I reflect on what we were able to do at Liberty Tax, I am reminded of this Bible verse ...

“Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous
​to the needy honors him.” 
- Proverbs 14:31