HOUSTON – On a normal fall afternoon, Mark Purifoy plays with his 9-year-old autistic son Elijah at Matske Park in Houston.
The only problem is, Mark doesn’t want to end up living in this park, or anywhere else on the street with his little boy, and that could happen if he doesn’t get help soon.
To stop that, Mark needs one big thing.
“I need a job. That’s the most important thing. If I can get a job, I can get everything else going. I know I have a lot of challenges, but it all starts with being productive,” Mark said while sitting on a park bench holding his son in his arms.
Mark is a Navy veteran who served aboard the aircraft carrier U.S. John C. Stennis. A man whose only mission now is to care for, protect and raise his young son as a single parent.
But, this past summer, Mark lost a lot, including his job, car and home.
He desperately wants to work, but can only work a limited schedule.
Basically, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday while Elijah is in school.
“My son is such a happy, cheerful boy, but he is severely autistic and he requires 24/7 care. So when he’s out of school, I have to be with him constantly, right up until he goes to sleep. I can’t take him to daycare because daycare centers won’t take him because of his condition,” Mark said.
Now, Mark has reached out to the Spencer Solves It team for help with finding a job and a place to live with his son.
Immediately, KPRC 2 contacted U.S. Vets, a national charitable organization we’ve worked with in the past that helps veterans with housing, job training and placement, financial assistance, and counseling.
By Monday, U.S. Vets had already started working to get Mark and his son what they needed.
But what the Spencer Solves It team needs from viewers is something else... help to get Mark working as soon as possible.
If you are a business owner and could offer Mark a job, any job, he says he is in no way picky, he just wants to work and earn a paycheck, then please contact Bill Spencer at bspencer@kprc.com.