Maryland
Janet Campbell
Ms. Campbell began the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program in 1994
when she was unemployed. During her time in the program, she studied
for and passed the GED (high school equivalency) exam, joined the Housing
Opportunities Commission's Employment Support Group, took computer training,
and earned a Certificate as a Geriatric Activities Coordinator. She
completed a volunteer work placement, moved on to part-time employment,
and in 1998 she began full-time employment. While in the program, she
also became a U.S. citizen. Ms. Campbell plans to study nursing at Montgomery
College while maintaining full-time employment at a department store.
The FSS Program helped her learn to believe in herself.
Sponsored by:
Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County
Kensington, MD
Shauna Fitch
Shauna Fitch enrolled in the FSS Program in January 1998. She was employed
part-time as a teacher’s assistant at that time. She was promoted to
the position of Director of a childcare center, and graduated from FSS
in August 1999 as a homebuyer. Before the FSS program, she was in Transitional
Housing. She used FSS case management assistance for budget and relationship
counseling, received a Welfare Avoidance Grant to purchase a car for
employment. She received therapy during a divorce. She sought help for
her children’s learning disability.
Kensington, MD
Cynthia Goggans
Cynthia Goggans enrolled in the FSS Program in July, 1995, when she
employed part-time. She found full-time employment in 1997, and is now
an Equipment Technician with Premier Surgery Center. She used FSS funds
for additional technical training, volunteer work experience, therapy,
job search, budget counseling, the Employment Support Group, and received
Welfare Avoidance Grant funds to buy a car. She plans to purchase a
home, thanks to her FSS escrow savings.
Kensington, MD
Carmita Gonzalez
When Carmita enrolled in the FSS Program in July, 1995, she was
receiving welfare assistance. While in FSS, she attended college and
expects to complete an AA degree in June 2000. She became employed in
1997 part-time, then full time in 1999, with Head Start. She will surely
be a successful FSS graduate soon.
Kensington, MD
Valeria Jones
Valeria Jones resides in Section 8 housing provided by the Housing Opportunities
Commission (HOC) of Montgomery County, Maryland. Last year, she began
attending an employment support group, a key element of HOC's Employment
Initiative Program, a HUD-funded program. The support group, run by
HOC employees, is available only to residents of HOC public housing
or Section 8.
Ms. Jones attended the employment support group for five months during
which she worked on developing a positive attitude, improving her communications
skills, and being punctual, dependable and reliable. At the same time,
she attended a HOC sponsored computer class at John Hopkins University
twice a week for ten weeks, and during the other three days she participated
in a HOC sponsored "volunteer work experience" at a senior
housing facility. There she learned to answer phones professionally,
take accurate messages, enter work orders into a computer, filing, and
other office skills.
After completing the volunteer work experience program, Ms. Jones got
a job with Mariner Health as a receptionist, but after six months in
this position, she felt she needed greater challenges and successfully
obtained a job at Lockheed Martin as a verification specialist. Ms.
Jones is a true success story.
Sponsored by:
Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) of Montgomery County
Kensington, MD
2001
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