From the challenges of foster care and homelessness to independence, Akiva Sequoyah is rebuilding his life through hard work, initiative, and help from the Allentown Rescue Mission and its community partners. Reflecting on his journey, Akiva embraces a guiding principle: change your fate with determination.
Akiva spent most of his childhood bouncing around the foster care system. Eventually, in his mid-teens,
his grandmother adopted him, but he found adapting to life outside of the foster care system harder
than he imagined.
Wrestling with the difficulties of his unstable childhood, Akiva struggled in most areas of his life. “Anger
was my greatest hurdle,” Akiva admitted. He graduated from high school, but at seventeen, he was
arrested and charged as an adult. After spending time in jail, he didn’t have anywhere to go, and that’s
when he found the Allentown Rescue Mission.
Determined to build a stable foundation for his future, Akiva enrolled in the Mission’s Transformation
Program. There, he began working through personal challenges, turning his anger into drive. Akiva
stated, “Through the Mission and my personal journey, I learned patience, self-control, and how to
focus on what matters.”
Akiva also recognized that long-term success required specialized job skills. With the guidance of his
Mission counselor, he discovered an opportunity through PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley to enroll in Lehigh
Career & Technical Institute’s welding program. Akiva took the initiative to complete the CareerLink
requirements and attend welding classes while simultaneously completing 120 class hours in the
Transformation Program. Upon successful completion of the classes, his tuition and transportation were
fully covered by PA CareerLink and the Allentown Rescue Mission’s scholarship program.
After graduating from the Allentown Rescue Mission’s Transformation Program, Akiva took a job with
the Clean Team Workforce. He worked approximately 35 hours a week at a local auto salvage yard
while finishing his welding classes.
In April, Akiva graduated and passed his welding certification. He began interviewing; however, landing
a job proved challenging because of his incarceration. Recognizing the obstacle, the Clean Team
Workforce manager contacted a local business executive who had been a Clean Team Workforce
customer for over ten years.
Keith Ashner, Executive Vice President of L&M Fabrication and Machine, agreed to interview Akiva, and
Akiva capitalized on the opportunity, interviewing and testing well. Hired initially as a trainee, Akiva’s
hard work and rapid progress earned him a station promotion after just one week. He is currently
welding components for a temporary shoring tower for the company’s Gold Star Memorial Bridge
project. “He’s a well-mannered, terrific young person who is prompt and gets the job done,” shared
Ashner.
Akiva maintained a positive attitude and perfect punctuality, even though circumstances weren’t ideal.
Living at the Allentown Rescue Mission without a car, he spent $250/week on ride-shares to commute
20 minutes each way to work daily. Once L&M became aware of his situation, Ashner offered to help
Akiva purchase a car.
Ashner coordinated with Joseph DiSaverio, owner of Executive Auto Gallery, to locate a reasonably
priced, reliable car for a deserving young man. Moved by Akiva’s story, DiSaverio offered him a great
deal on a car. And with the assistance of an interest-free loan, Akiva was able to purchase the car. “We
try to run our company with the same philosophy as the Allentown Rescue Mission, people helping
people,” Ashner emphasized.
Today, Akiva is driving himself to work, saving money, and budgeting to secure a place of his own to live.
In his free time, he enjoys creating indie animation and working out at the gym.
Through strength and determination, Akiva has overcome immense hurdles to reshape his future. While
he did the hard work, he couldn’t overlook the generosity of the community that came together to
support him. He admits, “It’s shocking, and nice, for people to see my potential and support me.”
About PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley: PA CareerLink Lehigh Valley is an employment and training
center chartered by Workforce Board Lehigh Valley and primarily funded by the Pennsylvania
Department of Labor and Industry. PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley connects employers and job
opportunities with qualified job seekers. Through their mission to implement a delivery system
that serves the community as a clearinghouse, PA CareerLink® Lehigh Valley is a one-stop shop
for information, employment opportunities, training, education, and economic development.
Their customer-focused system is based on both the current and future labor market needs
throughout the Lehigh Valley
About Lehigh Career & Technical Institute: LCTI is Pennsylvania’s largest career and technical
school. Founded in 1971, LCTI today provides more than 45 skills-based programs of study and
academic instruction for about 2,700 ninth- through 12th-grade students from Lehigh County’s
nine public school districts. LCTI also offers industry-relevant training and credentials for adults
working in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. The school’s state-of-the-art facilities encompass
roughly 450,000 square feet on a 47-acre campus in the Schnecksville section of North
Whitehall Township.
About F&M Fabrication & Machine: L & M Fabrication and Machine Inc. is a family-owned and
operated business established in 1967, specializing in steel fabrication and machining solutions. Located
in Bath, PA, with two facilities totaling 50,000 square feet on five acres, they serve various markets,
including infrastructure, construction, and transportation.
About Executive Auto Gallery Inc: Located in Walnutport, PA, Executive Auto Gallery Inc. has brought
top quality foreign and domestic vehicles at the best value to the customer for over 25 years. Their
stock contains late model autos, SUVs, and pick-up trucks