Young Vallejo worker uses funds to buy car, attend college

Jourdan Duncan (Center) received a bike from the Benicia Police Officers Association. Duncan lives in Vallejo and works at Pro-Form Laboratories in the Industrial Park, which he used to walk to every night following the breakdown of his car. Through a crowdfunding campaign, Duncan was able to buy a car and enroll at Solano Community College. (Photo courtesy of Benicia Police Department)

Jourdan Duncan, the Vallejo young adult who walked four hours to and from his workplace at Pro Form Laboratories every night following the breakdown of his car, will not have to walk anymore. Through the efforts of a GoFundMe campaign, he was able to use the money to pay for a car. On top of that, he is now going to school at Solano Community College.

Duncan, 19, and the Benicia Police Department made headlines last September when the Benicia Police Officers’ Association purchased a bike for Duncan. During an 11:30 p.m. graveyard shift, Cpl. Kirk Keffer was driving down Industrial Way in his K-9 unit, when he saw Duncan walking— which Keffer felt was unusual for an area that typically did not have a lot of foot traffic on Saturday nights. Keffer talked to him and learned that Duncan was just walking from his job to his home in Vallejo, not far from Hogan Middle School. Keffer offered to give Duncan a ride, which he accepted. On the ride home, the two talked about Duncan’s work ethic and goal to become a California Highway Patrol officer. Duncan was dropped off at his home, and Keffer told BPOA Vice President Edward Criado about it, and the organization decided to do something for him. They bought a bicycle from Wheels in Motion to reduce travel time, and they showed up at his workplace to surprise him with it.

The Benicia Police Department shared the story on its Facebook page, and it was spread throughout social media and covered by several local TV stations and newspapers. It even gained coverage outside of California in outlets like the Palm Beach Post, CNN.com and The Washington Post, which also named Keffer as one of the 11 most inspiring people of 2016 in a year-end article.

The BPOA felt the bike was a good start, but with the rainy winter season coming up, they felt more could be done. The organization established a GoFundMe campaign in October to raise money toward buying an economical vehicle for Duncan. The campaign originally set out to raise $5,000, but after the goal was met in a few days, it was then raised to $10,000. After continually surpassing its thresholds, the amount kept getting raised. As of now, the campaign has raised more than $42,000, enough for Duncan to spend some of that money to purchase a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. He also received a laptop computer and used the remainder of the money to go to school. He enrolled as a freshman at Solano Community College in Fairfield, where he is taking general education classes to work toward a degree in criminal justice and fulfill his dreams of becoming a CHP officer. He continues to work the night shift at Pro Form Laboratories.

Keffer is grateful for the success that Duncan has had.

“I’m ecstatic,” he said. “I couldn’t have wished for anything better for him. I’m so happy his hard work and dedication has paid off. The community supported that with an outpour of donations.”

Keffer is especially proud of how Duncan has chosen to spend his money.

“He could have spent it so many different ways,” he said. “Some of his friends wanted him to buy a more expensive car, and we spoke about it, and I said ‘Just buy something simple. Use that money for you.’ His dad was chiming in, saying ‘Hey, use that money for school and buy a small car.’ That’s what he did, and it all worked out.”

Keffer looks forward to seeing what the future holds for Duncan, whose story he says provides a positive message toward others to follow their dreams.

“If they follow and pursue, and they work hard, anything’s possible.”

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