Ashley’s Reason to Smile

Positivity is a choice that Ashley makes every day. A few years ago, she went through a divorce. It left her with five children, no income, and an uncertain future. Through it all, she focused on making sure her children had a strong role model. She kept a smile on her face and powered through everything, until at last she joined Wisconsin Works this Spring. Now, she’s smiling on the inside just as much as she is on the outside.

In W-2, Ashley found the support she needed to get her family stable at last. With a special needs son who required full-time care, she hadn’t been able to actively look for work before. Ashley worked with Marisa, her W-2 case manager, to turn this around. By July, she found a safe home for her family. This school year, her son is finally at a point where he can succeed in school. And now, Ashley’s starting her career in customer service!

Ashley says that she could see and feel that Marisa genuinely believed in her, and the vouchers and cash assistance helped her get her family back on track. “She believes it is necessary to put in the hard work to find the career you really want,” says Marisa, adding that “the motivation Ashley received here is what lead her to gain employment so rapidly.”

This September, Ashley started her new job as a cashier with Family Dollar, and she’s impressed them so quickly that she’s already in training to become an assistant manager. “I’m the person who turns frowns upside-down,” she tells us. She loves making people’s day in customer service and working with a supportive manager and team. After earning a promotion, Ashley even hopes to go to school for business management.

Congratulations, Ashley!