Every morning at 5:20 a.m., Bridge House Brownies Operations Manager Jayson Blockburger leaves his home in Lone Tree to begin the two-to three-hour commute — two buses and light rail — to Boulder where he oversees the baking, packaging, shipping, and marketing scratch-made desserts that now travel far beyond Colorado.

The commute is long. But it’s nothing compared to the 20-plus year journey that brought him to Ready to Work in 2021 and Bridge House Brownies a year later.

Jayson grew up in Denver, and from a young age experienced homelessness and the constant moving between motels, hotels, and Samaritan House. Alcohol was ever-present. “I recognized early on that alcohol was our go-to,” he says. “I didn’t know anything different.”

After graduating high school, partying escalated into heavy drinking and drug use. At 20, he faced a possession charge. Probation followed, but alcohol became his substance of choice because it cleared his system faster.

Eviction, only one, was while on probation. Housing after eviction was consistent, roommating with friends – a stop again at moms in between leases. Daily drinking after probation had not yet started to affect daily activities but was still a daily problem. He met his ex-wife, together five years, was a relationship built on alcohol. He was married by 30, divorced by 31 and that’s when the spiral really happened. He had to sell to their house to avoid foreclosure.

On the day his mom came to help him move out, he promised himself he wouldn’t drink — that he’d be productive. Instead, he suffered eight seizures before paramedics arrived. Three more followed on the way to the hospital, where he spent a week recovering.

He achieved six months of sobriety — then relapsed. More job loss. More couch surfing. During COVID, he passed out intoxicated during work-from-home shifts and lost another position. Eventually, he landed in Boulder and was referred to Ready to Work.

He showed up on a Friday afternoon in April and failed a breathalyzer. The then-house manager told him clearly: don’t come back to my building drunk. He returned that Monday sober.

Within a month, he was on payroll with the outdoor crew. After graduation in 2022, he stepped into a leadership role with Bridge House Brownies, applying prior management experience to a growing e-commerce business within Community Table Kitchen.

Today, Jayson is thriving. He’s gained business acumen, stability, and long-term goals — including one day opening “Block’s Burgers.”

What made the difference?

“Sober living and a steady income. Being around other sober people allowed” me to hold myself accountable in being, and staying, sober.

He has no desire to go back.

“I have the mentality of never returning to that place.” Having experienced it as a child, telling myself I would never be there, and ending up homeless is what will keep me from going back. Same as the first relapse, make the mistake once and never want to be back in that situation again.”