Jamaine Adkins is a licensed electrician who went through Chattanooga’s International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ apprenticeship program and was enjoying a solid career with Lawson Electric. The 41-year-old understands what it takes to wire any building and also understands his own internal wiring.
In June of last year, Adkins rewired his career from electrician to what he terms “his ministry” when he joined the United Way of Greater Chattanooga as its liaison to labor unions to the six counties the agency serves. In electrical terms, Adkins’ connection to his career is secure and grounded.
Still, it’s hard to connect the dots between the focus required to work with electrical currents that can kill and the effervescent, smartly dressed Adkins, who laughed and hugged disabled veteran Bryant Ellis at Ellis’ trailer in Hixson on Thursday.
“This is what I want to do,” said Adkins, a graduate of Chattanooga Christian. “I just want to go about the work of helping people every day and loving people. I love speaking to groups about how they can help.”
The Neediest Cases Fund is administered by the United Way, and it approves each one-time donation aimed at preventing a crisis. In virtually all cases, other social service agencies are presented with the need and then a request is made to the United Way. In the case of Ellis, there was no need for a third-party agency because the need was brought to Adkins’ attention.