Back to Work & Improving Our Riverbank, with Anthony Reid
Anthony Reid is working along the Truckee River with our Urban Tree Workforce Program. He’s removing invasive species, protecting trees from beaver damage, and learning about riparian habitat and vegetation management skills that are transferable to landscaping along his journey. For Reid, participating in the program is a key piece in his recovery from Substance Use Disorder and an important way he’s working to better his life.
The Workforce Development Program is a collaborative effort run by One Truckee River, RISE, the City of Reno, and Truckee Meadows Park Foundation, funded by the Nevada Division of Forestry. Through the program, we’re improving public spaces along the 1.5-mile stretch of the Truckee River from Lake Street to Galletti Way while providing jobs for the community members who need them most.
Keep reading to learn more about Anthony – how he got here, what he’s learned along the way, and how the Truckee River Urban Tree Workforce Development Program is helping him plan and prepare for his future!
Getting to know Anthony Reid
Anthony Reid was born in Las Vegas, moved to Sparks at 12, and graduated from Reno High School. After graduating, he worked at the Reno Airport as a Ramp Supervisor, overseeing ground crew and managing baggage and cargo handling. When he was laid off, Anthony explains “that was the beginning of my downward spiral into the drug lifestyle.”
After his 4th arrest, now homeless on the street, Anthony was fed up. Finished with feeling sick and tired, he went into Well Care, a 3-month transitional housing facility. From here, he was referred to Crossroads, a nonprofit offering affordable substance abuse treatment and temporary housing.
On March 2, Reid graduated Crossroads after a year in the program. He tells us, “since entering Crossroads, I’ve accomplished so many things, attained a lot of the goals I set. I’ve been discharged from parole, discharged from therapy, taken off meds, got my driver’s license, got baptized, went through vocational rehab, and got the Commercial Driver’s License certification.” In his recovery, Anthony tries to live by the Seven Philosophies, prioritizing humility and placing the needs of others before his own, as laid out in The Red Road to Wellbriety in the Native American Way. He was hired in Sept 2024 as a crew member for the Workforce Program.
Back to Work – with the Truckee River Urban Trees Workforce Program
At Crossroads, Anthony volunteered on several committees – managing bike donations and preparing group meals. On the Landscaping Committee, working to maintain the property, he was the only member! So, when the Workforce Program was formed, offering paid jobs for Crossroads clients, he jumped at the opportunity. Today, he’s working 2 days a week as part of a 5-employee team: removing invasive species, revegetating the Truckee riverbank, and receiving on-the-job training.
This winter, the crew has been targeting John Champion Park, where Tree of Heaven has grown rampant, overcrowding native plants and having a negative impact on the riparian environment. They’ve removed 65 invasive trees to date and are controlling it’s regrowth through a combination of mechanical removal and pesticide application.Reid, alongside the other Workforce crew members, recently received his Pesticide Applicator Certification, which required him to learn to safely and properly handle herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides and apply the “cut and squirt” method to trees to limit treatment exposure to the environment. Additionally, to protect native trees from beaver damage, the crew is wrapping chicken wire around their trunks. So far, they’ve protected 50 trees from beavers.
Anthony’s job keeps him connected to the Crossroads community, even though he’s no longer living with them, which leaves him feeling grounded and focused. “The Workforce Program has given me the opportunity to be able to get back on my feet and into the work pool with a solid foundation.”
Anthony’s Sober Life & Next Steps
While at Crossroads, Anthony met his girlfriend. Three months ago, he moved out of Crossroads and in with her, and her 7-year-old daughter. In his spare time, Anthony likes to ride bikes, snowboard, and draw. Lately, he shares, “a lot of my hobbies these days are family-oriented, and I love every minute of it! I’ve always wanted children and it’s like a learning curve for me. Everything’s new and exciting.”
With these new priorities in mind, Anthony’s rethinking his employment plans. When he began his Commercial Driver’s License program, his aim was to work as a long-haul trucker. Now, he’d rather stay closer to the important people in his life and is pursuing full-time local work. His goal? To move into a larger apartment, get a house down the road, and build a foundation - so he can eventually travel and see the country with his family.
“It never ceases to amaze me what can happen, as long as you trust in the process and let the good things happen,” Reid shares. “I’m so grateful to One Truckee River and Crossroads for giving me my life back and helping me find myself again.”