COSTA MESA, Calif. – A second chance can make all the difference.

And for Clarence Williams, his job washing dishes at Toast Kitchen & Bakery is hard work...

But it’s also a chance to make things right.

“I think this is the best thing. I haven’t called in sick. I come into work 15 minutes early. They ask me to do something, I just do it, and that’s why I love this job,” said Williams.

Williams has been battling homelessness for about a year and after falling on hard times, had nowhere to turn.

But his boss John Park, who owns Toast Kitchen has made it possible for him and others battling homelessness to begin to get their lives back by offering them jobs.

Park can relate, because he's been in their shoes. He and his wife have had several ventures in the L.A. food business. But after they themselves fell on hard times, he says they could easily have become homeless.

“We always figured and said to ourselves, moving down to O.C., given an opportunity we wanted to do stuff for the community as much as possible and really help those who are actually in the situation and being on the street,” said Park.

There are nearly 5,000 people in Orange County experiencing homelessness and about half of them are unsheltered like Williams. Ten to 20 percent of Park’s employees are experiencing homelessness.

According to the Urban Institute, about 25 percent of people nationally experiencing some level of homelessness are employed. And it’s these jobs that are lifelines to getting into shelters, getting things like a credit card, and getting their lives back on track.

“A lot of people are proud of me. A lot of people are saying I’m doing a good job. I’m blessed really because if I didn’t have this job, I don’t know what I would do. And I love this job and it’s very hard to get a job out there right now,” said Williams.

For Park it’s a reward in itself to be able to give back.

“It really is about just giving people an opportunity that might not get it somewhere else,” said Park.