Covid-19 Made Him Jobless, Homeless & Desperate, Then This Happened

A 41-year-old, Patrick, lost his job due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jobless, homeless, desperate due to Covid-19

He couldn’t afford a place to stay and thought of ending his life, or committing a crime so he could end up in jail with at least a roof over his head.

On Good Friday, Patrick wandered into Nee Soon East Community Club looking for a place to charge his phone. He had no idea where he was going to sleep that night.

Fortunately, he met the community club staff and implored them for help. He thought he would be ignored or chased away.

Instead, the staff showed him kindness and offered support.

“That day changed my life.”

The Nee Soon East team first found a place for Patrick to stay. They reached out to Social Service Office @ Yishun, who found temporary lodgings for Patrick with a Woodlands church.

The Nee Soon East CC team also helped Patrick find a job at Yishun Park Hawker Centre after reaching out the Noorman, a stall owner who sells Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang (#01-33).

Covid-19 — Noorman (left) and Patrick (right) at Noorman’s Yishun Park Hawker Centre stall. Noorman has been actively helping the community by hiring residents in need to help out at his stall. (Photo: PA)

Noorman, is active in helping the community and hiring residents in need. As Noorman had a vacancy at his stall, he interviewed and hired Patrick for an assistant position. Noorman said:

“Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. They may just need someone to believe in them.”

Noorman also praised Patrick for being dependable, always punctual and a fast learner.

“I am proud of what I have made of myself these past few weeks.”

When People’s Association interviewed Patrick earlier this week at his new job, he exuberated a renewed sense of optimism. Patrick said:

“I am proud of what I have made of myself these past few weeks. I have been working hard to learn new things like how to cook and season food.”

Patrick (right) serving customers in his new job at the Nasi Lemak stall at Yishun Park Hawker Centre. (Photo: PA)

If I lost my job due to Covid-19 where can I find a job?

People who have lost jobs due to Covid-19 can find jobs at:

Read the full account of PA’s interview with Patrick below and share this with a friend to make their day.

Not being able to afford a place to stay after losing his job due to COVID-19, 41 year-old Patrick was at his wits’ end earlier this month. “I was thinking of just ending it all, or committing a crime so I would end up in jail and have somewhere to stay,” he shares. On the morning of Good Friday, Patrick wandered into Nee Soon East CC looking for a place to charge his phone; he had no clue where he was going to sleep that night. There, he unexpectedly ran into CC staff and implored them for help. “I thought of how easy it would be for them to ignore me or chase me away, instead, they showed me kindness and offered support,” Patrick explains. “That day changed my life.”

Nee Soon East Constituency Director Chee Wah recalls his initial meeting with Patrick, “The first thing that crossed my mind was to help him find a place to stay.” The Nee Soon East team sprung into action to get Patrick back on his feet, reaching out to connections at the Social Service Office @ Yishun who found temporary lodgings for Patrick with a church in Woodlands. Nee Soon East CC also got in contact with Noorman, a stall owner at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, who is active in helping the community and hiring residents in need. Noorman had a vacancy, and subsequently interviewed and hired Patrick for an assistant position at his stall.

When we spoke to Patrick at his new job this week, his renewed sense of optimism was clear. “I am proud of what I have made of myself these past few weeks,” he reflects, “I have been working hard to learn new things like how to cook and season food.” Noorman is similarly pleased that he took a chance on Patrick, “He is dependable, always punctual and a fast learner!” Though Noorman recognises that it was especially fortunate that his stall had a vacancy for Patrick when approached, he is resolute in showing empathy and support to fellow members of the community through the bitter times and the sweet. “Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves,” shares Noorman, “they may just need someone to believe in them.”