Purple pants spark conversations—and open doors for job seekers

By Ellyn Wexler, staff writer

John E. Foster—better known as the man with the purple pants at Reston Farmers Market—helps locals navigate job loss through Career Network Ministry. Photos contributed by John E. Foster

On any given Saturday morning at the Reston Farmers Market, regulars know to look for John E. Foster. He’s easy to spot, welcoming visitors at the GreenFare Organic Café booth, greeting neighbors by name, and wearing his now-signature purple pants.

What many shoppers may not realize is that Foster, a Herndon resident with deep ties to Reston, has spent more than 15 years helping local residents navigate job loss, career transitions, and the emotional toll that often comes with both.

Since 2009, Foster has been a volunteer with Career Network Ministry (CNM), a free, community-based organization that supports job seekers throughout Northern Virginia, including many from Reston and Herndon who first learn about the group through neighbors, churches, or local word-of-mouth.

Foster’s involvement began during a period that may feel familiar to many in the community. In 2009, he lost his job due to a departmental downsizing, an experience that forced him to stop, reassess, and reimagine what came next. “When you lose a job, it gives you the chance to relook at where you are,” Foster said.

As a job seeker himself, Foster found CNM and began attending meetings while searching for new opportunities. Through relationships built there, he was introduced to a startup company and eventually found his way forward. When CNM later needed help teaching LinkedIn skills, he stepped in, not as an expert looking to lecture, but as someone who understood firsthand the uncertainty of starting over.

Today, Foster is part of a team that teaches LinkedIn classes to job seekers, many of whom are local residents navigating layoffs, career pivots, or reentry into the workforce. He has watched LinkedIn evolve into a critical tool for modern job searches. “If you’re not on LinkedIn, you don’t exist to recruiters,” he said.

But the technology, Foster emphasized, is only part of the equation. What keeps people coming back to CNM, and what sets it apart, is its sense of community. “Career Network Ministry isn’t just about jobs,” he said. “It’s about relationships.”

Originally founded as a ministry of McLean Bible Church, CNM has grown and adapted over the years. It now partners with Holy Trinity Church in McLean, offering in-person meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, as well as a full schedule of online programming. That hybrid model has made it accessible to job seekers across Reston, Herndon, and surrounding neighborhoods.

The organization is entirely free and open to everyone, a core value Foster believes is essential, especially during times of economic uncertainty. “When people lose their jobs, many can’t afford to pay for coaching or résumé help,” he said. “We meet them where they are.”

CNM offers multiple programs, including live workshops, online sessions, and small job-search teams that provide accountability, encouragement, and peer support. For many participants, that emotional support is as critical as résumé reviews or interview prep. “So many people tie their self-worth to their job,” Foster said. “When that’s gone, they feel lost. CNM reminds them they’re not alone, and that they’re more than their job.”

That spirit of connection carries into Foster’s other local work. Since 2018, he has served as an ambassador for GreenFare Organic Café at the Reston Farmers Market, helping educate shoppers about plant-based nutrition and wellness. The purple pants that have become his calling card began as part of the uniform for a fathers’ cheerleading team with the Chantilly Youth Association, a detail that reflects his sense of humor, visibility, and community pride.

GreenFare’s mission, Foster said, mirrors the values that keep him involved with CNM. Through educational programs and a popular 21-Day Kickstart initiative, the café helps residents improve their health, a foundation Foster sees as inseparable from professional and personal resilience. “All of this is about building a better community,” he said.

After more than a decade of volunteering, Foster says it’s the people (neighbors helping neighbors) that keep him coming back. “Every one of us makes a difference,” he said. “Sometimes we see it. Sometimes we don’t.”

For Reston and Herndon residents facing a career transition, Foster offers a simple reminder: help is closer than you think. “Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest,” he said. “But we’re a click away.”

More information about Career Network Ministry, including meeting times and resources, is available at www.careernetworkministry.com/