I'm Not Struggling So Much Anymore
When I went to apply for Bridge of Hope, I knew I needed to change my life because I did not want to be stuck in the system. I had to go through food stamps, cash assistance, everything - and I did not want to live my life like that... I knew I had to take a step up and that's what made me decide to go and apply. I thought, you hear about some programs and they don't always work. But Bridge of Hope certainly is a program that works - I'm a living testimony to that! If it wasn't for them giving that step up, I honestly don't know where we would be.
When I was accepted into Bridge of Hope we sat down and created some goals and one of the goals was a career.... They asked me to participate in a New Choices, New Options program. I wanted to do everything I could to better my life. So I got into this program and I went in there with the mindset, I'm going to do a man's job because that's where the money's at!....We took all these tests to assess ourselves - what we like to do, what we enjoy to do, what we don't like to do - and I kept coming out at working outside because I love gardening. But I thought, [those jobs] only max out at a certain pay rate and I need to exceed that.
I went to a job fair and this guy from a truck school came up and he said, "Why don't you think about driving a truck?" I said, "I can't. I have little kids and I have to be home." He said, "Well, they have jobs that are local."
So I went home and I prayed about it and I thought. The door opened and I got into school and it was four or five weeks. Then a week after I graduated, I started my job!
Another goal was to set up a savings account and to start saving. I was so excited because... the bank account I had was always for groceries and rent. I never had anything that I could say, hey - this is my savings.
It was a really good feeling to look and see - I have these savings! I'm not living week to week any more. I'm not struggling so much anymore.
NOTE: This graduate partnered with Hope Community Church and Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties (Penna.)
