What We’re All About

For Sheri, Wisconsin Works is about much more than employment. Through her participation in W-2, she was able to bring her family out of homelessness and give them the fresh start they deserve. “Coming to see you every week is like going to church,” she told her case manager, Sarah, after starting her new career. “I bring all my burdens and problems to you, you help me figure it out and make a plan, and I just feel so much better after I leave. It’s truly amazing!”

“I told her it was my pleasure to help her through this part of her life,” says Sarah. “I was just her sounding board and her compass. She did all the hard work.”

Sheri built her credentials, confidence, and connections with W-2. She built a resume from scratch through our Essentials class, worked with her case manager every week to plan next steps, and got help with transportation. Sheri also connected with with the Oshkosh Area Humane Society. As a volunteer, she enjoyed working with the animals, got experience for her resume, and started to realize her talents.

Plus, thanks to our partnership with the Oshkosh Kids Foundation, Sheri and her son are no longer living in a shelter. They paid for two months at a motel, so she could find housing, and the security deposit once she found an apartment. They even helped put her son on the school bus route so he doesn’t have to take the city bus to school anymore.

“She went from being scattered and overwhelmed… to being able to focus and organize her thoughts and action plans to achieve her goals,” Sarah tells us.

When Sarah and Sheri last talked, Sheri was bursting with a confidence she’d never felt before. Sheri’s new career with Vista Care means providing a safe, supportive home for her son. She’s staying with W-2 as she gets settled, and she plans to apply for a loan with us so she can get a vehicle of her own soon. Congratulations, Sheri!!