TESTIMONIALS
LORRIE
Lorrie came through the Martha O’Bryan Center’s Jobs Plus Program with the goal to acquire a job in the construction industry. After completing our Job Readiness Program and our Digital Literacy Program, Lorrie heard about the Nashville Career Advancement Center's Construction Readiness Partnership.
The Nashville Construction Readiness Partnership was created to ensure that the citizens of Nashville have the access and skills needed to engage in Nashville's vibrant construction industry. The program develops and implements strategies that match employers with skilled Davidson County employees, and provide training opportunities for residents seeking to enter the construction industry for the first time.
After graduating from the program, on December 9, 2016, Lorrie quickly hit the ground running with her job search and found a full time job as a Groundskeeper / Maintenance Tech at the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency in Nashville, TN.
ELIZABETH
"After spending seven years in Crossville and Cookeville going from pillar to post, the last two without a home of my own, I ended up in Nashville at the Family Life Center of the Rescue Mission. My son and arrived there on June 29, 2009 and for the next year that was our home. I had a lot to work through to get back on my feet, and the fact that we could stay at FLC so long contributed to my healing and becoming the mom my son needed me to be so I could rebuild a home life for us, which I did. In July of 2010, I got a job with GCA as a custodian at Hume Fogg High School. And about two to three weeks later we moved out.
Another two weeks later, I was admitted to Vanderbilt Hospital with a Left Bundle Branch Blockage. After my heart episode, I had to let my custodial job go. I decided to try the Contributor. It’s not that I was the best salesperson in the world, but getting out and selling kept me from becoming homebound by the depression.
Whether it’s The Contributor, the Family Life Center, Goodwill, CWJC of Middle TN , RITI, or any of a number of the other organizations we have represented here today, there will be some who abuse the gift of help and some who take it for what it was intended for. There are many like my husband and I who have and continue to use our sales to advance our family. For the last year and a half at least 45-50% of our rent and 30-40% of our grocery bill has come from our Contributor sales, and we have not been late with our rent one time.
In December 2011, I heard Becky Sumrall, the executive Director of CWJC of Middle TN, speak at a Wednesday night service. I got an interview for the Life Skills class and soon found myself talking with one of their Satellite Coordinators about what I wanted for my life. I loved what CWJC had to offer. Their principles went right along with mine and everything just felt like home. I started out just wanting to file for Disability and volunteer, but, somewhere along the way, something happened. I started wanting more, wanting my life back.
But I didn’t know where to start. CWJC of Middle TN suggested I enroll in Goodwill’s paid training program. I wanted to work in an office, but had never really been trained. And while I was getting computer training at CWJC, what I really needed was a paycheck. Evidently they understood that at times not only do people need training they also need to pay bills. Because Goodwill offers several paid training courses for men and women, I started out in the call center, but I was also trained in reception, LP, and administration. In addition to computer skills, I have learned phone and call handling, poise and professional appearance, not to mention a new found sense of pride and confidence.
Hillary Clinton said “It takes a village to raise a child.” I say it takes a village to take a person out of poverty. And I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the people who have invested not only in me, but my family also. It is possible to change a life."
- (As presented on March 8, 2013 at the Workforce Engagement Event)