A Manageable Mom
Economic Opportunity, Ways to Work
I am now 24, and have had my car for over a year now. I am a single mother raising my 4 year old daughter, a graduate with my Bachelor in Social Work from VCU and I have a full-time job as a Care Partner at VCU Health Systems. I am now a preceptor, training new hires to the unit. I am also a part of the Community Angels Committee, which, this holiday season, is helping displaced families of the HIlliard House Organization with hats, scarves, gloves and toiletries as well as collecting toys for Toys for Tots.
My life is very busy and before getting my car, using public transportation every day was a real struggle for me. On a typical day, I would wake up in the morning, get ready for work, catch the bus and arrive for my 4.5 hour shift. After I got off work, I would then catch the bus to class, and then after class, catch the bus back to work for another 4.5 hour shift. Due to my busy schedule, I would sometimes have to leave my daughter at a family member’s house in order for her to go to daycare. Some days, I would go all day without seeing her except for very briefly in the morning when I got her ready for daycare.
Since I learned about the Ways to Work program, I have learned not only the skills I need to manage my finances and pay back the loan, I have also been able to manage my time better by making it to work. I have become more self-sufficient. I can go to the grocery store or to a doctor’s appointment without having to wait for someone to give me a ride. I have more time to spend with my daughter doing the things we’ve always wanted to do together.
I can say without a doubt that the Ways to Work program has changed my life for the better. It has provided me with the experience leading up to me owning my first vehicle. It’s hard to imagine the difference something as simple as a reliable car can make in a person’s life. Thanks to Ways to Work, I know I can succeed in all my jobs – as a mom going back to school, chasing her dreams and starting a career. I vow to be a vehicle for communication and spread the word about ways to work and what they have done for me.
Tamara, Ways to Work client
For additional information on the Economic Opportunity Program at HumanKind, please visit our page here.