A little over a year ago, Yadira moved her four children from the southern U.S. to Wisconsin. She was hoping to find a home with more opportunities for them. Before she started participating in FSC’s programs, however, she had all she could handle just trying to get settled.
“Yadira was very excited about the opportunity to do new things for herself and to better support her family when she enrolled,” says her case manager, Angel. Despite her initial excitement, it was hard to focus on completing activities when she needed help finding housing, and transportation was a real struggle.
Thankfully, her FSC team was there to show her that that’s exactly what we’re here to help with.
Emergency Assistance, Energy Assistance, and Housing Authorities helped with housing. Wisconsin Works helped her family stay financially afloat. FSET provided gas vouchers for interviews and vouchers to the Salvation Army for work clothes. Finally, Yadira could dedicate herself to a job search.
Yadira told her team how much she wanted to get started in the medical field, and they helped her find the path that would work for her. She enrolled at Moraine Park Technical College; first, so she could complete her GED, and then to earn her CNA certificate. “Being enrolled in the FSET and W-2 programs allowed her peace of mind,” says Angel. “We were able to cover the fees for her, so she was able to focus on studying and passing the tests.”
Yadira recently started her first full-time job in healthcare at Starkey HearCare. She’s excited to be gaining experience in the field and to have a position with the flexibility to continue her education.
“This means a lot, not just to me, but to my kids, who have seen how hard we have been working to get back on track,” says Yadira. She plans to continue working on her CNA certificate and hopes to work her way up to a management position at Starkey HearCare. Meanwhile, she’ll be saving up for a home of her own, so her kids can see how hard work pays off.
Congratulations, Yadira!