Formerly homeless New Yorkers honored in graduation ceremony in Queens
LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens (WABC) -- New Yorkers who have overcome tremendous adversity were celebrated in Queens Thursday night.
A graduation ceremony was held in Long Island City for 47 people who were once either homeless, in prison or in poverty and have now secured a full-time job.
The ceremony was put on by ACE Programs for the Homeless, which offers job-readiness training, adult education and more to those in need of it in New York City.
"When I was looking at my email, I was getting all these job offers and it was a little scary, but then I said, 'Man, you know what, I earned it and I deserve it,'" said Larry Ross, one of the new graduates. "And I just stuck with, and I went on interviews and I finally just got a job."
As of December of last year, more than 63,000 men, women and children were sleeping in city shelters.
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