When One Door Closes, Sara Opens Another

“Dreams can change; when one door closes another one opens.”

This is a story of a mother from Fond Du Lac County who found her priorities changing as she stepped up to new challenges. But that also meant asking for help a second time.

Support when you need it

Sara had previously enrolled in the FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) program to stabilize her employment situation while she raised her child. She found the program to be helpful in obtaining and retaining a job, and particularly remembered the support and services she received from Forward Service Corporation. So, when life tossed her a curveball and she recognized she needed assistance again, she returned.

“I always felt cared for and supported by the staff and discovered many resources and ways to make ends meet as I was getting back on my feet,” she says of her original experience. “When I came back around, I found the same support and services I needed to give my dream another shot.”

Don’t call it a comeback

When Sara re-approached FSC, her goal was to find new employment that better fit the schedule of her and her son. She was matched with Angel, an FSET case manager, who re-enrolled her in the program and began the supportive services she needed to begin her job search.

Sara attended the Career Connections class to learn soft skills and professional skills. She also completed many job searches and submitted applications to perspective employers. Angel says, “The Career Connections class was helpful for her to review and gain new skills for employment. The workshop also provided opportunity to learn new job leads and meet with perspective employers.”

The bounce back

To help support her during this time, Sara received transportation assistance in the form of gas vouchers to help her get to and from job interviews where she put her new skills to the test. The hard work she had put in to her classes and employment materials quickly paid off. She landed a new job and FSET even supplied vouchers to purchase a work uniform.

Angel is proud of Sara’s work and accomplishments. “[She] worked hard and did not give up despite challenges that arose along the way.”

“I now have a job that fits perfectly,” Sara says. “Sometimes it takes trial and error to see who you are, what you are made of, and that your dreams can come true. But, you need to make it happen.”

Sara benefitted from the following programs:

FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET)