Ready, Willing and ... Cable? Homeless working for hundreds of tv channels

Philadelphia, PA--The organization Ready, Willing and Able, "a work and job skills training program which helps homeless individuals in their efforts to become self-sufficient, contributing members of society," has made a significant change in their mission in order to attract more individuals into the program.

As an incentive, the program began offering members cable television in lieu of low wages as a form of payment for work performed. The organization officially changed its name in early March of this year to Ready, Willing and Cable.

"The numbers have skyrocketed," said New York admissions director, Frank Telford, about the sharp rise in enrollment since the announced name and policy change. "We unfortunately have been turning many away, but there is hope of new funding that would allow us to expand our workforce."

Ready, Willing and Cable agrees to provide vouchers for free cable television, good for organization-affiliated or non-affiliated worker' residences. The cable packages given are the top plans offered, which include On Demand, DVR-ready boxes and all the premium channels.

"I wouldn't step near Ready, Willing and Able before," said Francis Vernon, 46, a recent enrollee, "but I ran to Ready, Willing and Cable. I immediately signed on. I can't miss Mad Men, even though I've never seen it."

"I get more channels now then I ever did," said Jack Amteri, another member of the program, taking a break from sweeping to pull a batteryless remote control from his jacket pocket. "I may not eat as much now as I did before, but I can now watch a volleyball match between two upper Midwest liberal arts colleges."

"On Demand is a glorious, glorious thing," said Steven H., a coworker of Amteri's. "Have you seen The Pursuit of Happiness? Where was this movie 20 years ago?"

The nonprofit, part of the Doe Fund, Inc, with facilities in New York City and Philadelphia, reached an agreement with cable giant Comcast in February to provide free cable to all enrolled.

"Part of the Comcast mission is to serve the community, you know, give back," said Gail Silvers, the company's community relations director. "The only thing we wanted in return was for the program's participants to prosper, and, this seems only fair, to wear uniforms displaying the Comcast logo along with a picture of the new On Demand screen."

Several weeks into the new compensation format, however, a somewhat significant problem was uncovered: three of every five workers did not own a television.

"I worked my butt off for two weeks, received my cable vouchers, called the cable company for installation, sat down on the living room crates and ... there was no TV," said Neil Travers, 39, a graduate of the program three years ago who was lured back by the thought of 557 channels. "The cable guy was going to be at my place any min ... er, day. He did say no later than a week or three."

The organization's board said the lack of televisions problem never surfaced in the countless, laborious meetings leading up to the payment decision. "I don't know ... it never came up," said one board member. "It just never came up."