WBZ Cares: Operation A.B.L.E. Grads Give Back

BOSTON (CBS) - Each month, WBZ Cares highlights a worthy non-profit organization, and tells the story of what that organization does for the community.

This month's organization is "Operation Able," a Boston-based organization that provides a wide range of job training and employment services and classes for workers 45 and older to help them get back to work and land great jobs.

For Tim Conant, being able to score his dream job at Harvard's Kennedy School Library after getting an internship through Operation A.B.L.E. felt like "a dream come true," he said.

"As an older worker you may feel less than, and I think the encouragement and the environment just helps to breed new confidence and self-esteem," he said.

He had been laid off from his previous job in 2002 and wanted to brush up on his technical skills, so he took a computer class and was amazed by the amount of support he received from the staff.

Greg Haig was out of work for a number of years due to health issues. Last fall, Operation A.B.L.E. helped him with his resume-writing skills. They were so impressed with Haig that they hired him to work at A.B.L.E. as a regional manager.

"It's meant for development of a new career," he said. "This is not something that I would have pursued, and I am very grateful to Operation A.B.L.E. for looking at me and seeing an opportunity in me to be able to contribute in this nonprofit. Having been someone who needed some help getting back to work, it's a wonderful opportunity for me to give back."

Elizabeth Tinsley was also hired by Operation A.B.L.E after she went through the program. She had retired from her longtime job at age 62 and was not happy just sitting at home.

"Getting depressed, very depressed day by day," she said.

Tinsley is the first face you see when you walk through Operation A.B.L.E.'s doors. She's been their receptionist for the last 11 years. It is a job she absolutely loves.

"It has saved my life. I am so happy here--when I go home, my kids say all you talk about is Operation A.B.L.E. I ain't going to say my age but if I could work here another 10 years, I would," Tinsley said.

For more information about Operation A.B.L.E, visit: OperationAble.net or the WBZ Cares section on the CBSBoston.com website during the month of May.