Sanderson Farms employee Valarie Gunter, center, waits for the bus Tuesday July 26, 2016 at the Salvation Army in Tyler that takes employees to their jobs at the chicken processing plant in Palestine. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

James Hill came to Tyler from Dallas. He was working as a truck driver, but the work wasn’t steady and the pay wasn’t enough to provide the life he wanted for his wife and four kids. He overheard a conversation about Sanderson Farms hiring people at The Salvation Army while standing in line at the grocery store. Hill was interviewed and hired the same day, and has been working as a de-boner with the company for a month.

Unemployment problems arise when people want to work, but don’t have the means to get to an interview or to a job site. When the third-largest poultry producer in the country needed to fill up to 200 vacancies at its Palestine plant, Sanderson Farms streamlined a way to hire the unemployed of East Texas. They brought the entire application and hiring process to the people who needed it the most.

The company even provides transportation to and from the Palestine plant. 

“You can’t beat this with a pool stick,” Hill said. “There are not a lot of good jobs in Tyler. For them (Sanderson Farms) to do what they do, and bring you to and from work, you can’t beat that.”

Sanderson Farms representatives have been coming to The Salvation Army in Tyler for the last month recruiting and hiring people to work at their plant in Palestine. Job seekers fill out applications, go through a background check and receive a drug test, and are usually hired the same day and start work within the next two days. This one-stop-shop process takes place in the cafeteria, where people have a place to sit down, fill out an application and talk to the representative while their background check is conducted.

“Sanderson Farms contacted us and said they need to fill a lot of vacancies,” said a Salvation Army public relations representative. “They wanted to partner with us and use our facility to do interviews, applications and drug testing.”

“This is a good program that gets people employed and working,” Salvation Army caseworker Sheryl Andreason said. “They (Sanderson Farms) come here every Tuesday to do their hiring. Many of our clients have found work within days of coming to the shelter.”

“We sent a group to The Salvation Army because we were looking to fill 200 vacancies. We wanted to work out a system to provide interviews and background checks,” said Pic Billingsley, director of development and engineering. “We were looking for good qualified employees.”

Angela Price, Navco Testing collector, has been at The Salvation Army every Tuesday for the last month to conduct drug screening tests for new Sanderson Farms employees. The agency from Corsicana was contracted through Sanderson Farms. Over 90 people have been screened for employment at Sanderson Farms at The Salvation Army in Tyler.

“This is really unique,” she said. “This is good for the community. A lot of people who are homeless and staying here have been employed through this process.”

Sanderson Farms transports over 25 people for two shifts, 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., to and from The Salvation Army parking lot to the Palestine Plant. The bus service is available to anyone working at Sanderson Farms in Palestine. Residency at The Salvation Army is not a requirement for the ride.

Army veteran Christopher Ward was waiting in the parking lot for the afternoon bus. His Army career ended eight months ago after a combat injury in Afghanistan. Ward decided to come to Tyler because of limited job opportunities in Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.

“I stayed at The Salvation Army for a week,” Ward said. “I got a job with Sanderson Farms the first day I got here. I have my own place now. Sanderson Farms helped me out a lot. I’m a de-boner now, but I was certified as an electrician in the Army and I have a CDL. I’m confident I’ll move up quick.”

Valarie Gunter lives at the shelter with her three children, a 6-year-old, 17-month-old and 3-week-old. She started at Sanderson Farms on Thursday as a de-boner. She takes the bus to and from her 2 p.m. shift.

“I came here three months ago after losing my job in Conroe,” Ms. Gunter said. “I had my daughter three weeks ago. I have someone to watch my kids. I get my first paycheck on Friday and my plan is to save three paychecks and then get my own place.”

“This is a win-win for us,” Billingsley said. “I’ve spoken with the plant managers at the Palestine plant, and they are impressed with the work ethic of the employees they found in Tyler.”

Jeremy Scott was looking for a second chance after a felony conviction. Scott and his girlfriend came to The Salvation Army on Tuesday to fill out applications and were hired to start work Thursday.

“This has helped me out a lot after a job ended in the oil industry,” Scott said. “Most people don’t want to hire me and won’t hire me even though I’m trying to do the right things and move on from my past. We’re going to make $11.50 an hour and there is health care and benefits.”

“We want to hire people who are willing to make an effort,” Billingsley said. “Not only are we providing transportation to and from Tyler, we pay for 75 percent of the medical insurance we offer and the employee is responsible for the remaining 25 percent and that is for single coverage and family coverage.”

Applications are being accepted at the Salvation Army at 633 North Broadway Avenue in Tyler from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays. Background checks and drug-screening are conducted on site. Applicants are asked to bring identification when applying.