I grew up in the projects, pregnant at 17 years old, and the father had left me. The Welfare to Work program suggested I visit Cincinnati Works. CW gave me confidence!
The workshop helped with my resume, taught me interview skills and how to get my 1st job: working at a lab at TriHealth. This gave me stability. CW gave me credit advice and helped me budget my paycheck. Cincinnati Works made me believe in myself!
I gave birth to my son, and I worked at the TriHealth lab for 3 years while I gained stability, deciding what to do with my future. I eventually got a 2-year associate’s degree in Science from Cincinnati State, then went on to get a 4-year degree in psychology from UC.
I met my husband, Sid, and we had our daughter. I worked for a number of years at Cincinnati Public Schools, and now I am a peer professional at Parker Woods Montessori school.
Here’s the most important sentence I am going to share: Because of Cincinnati Works, my children will not know poverty.
Today I am a confident, financially stable, employed, blessed mother, who along with my supportive husband, has broken the generational cycle of poverty.
And I’ve made sure that my children have a better life.
