Anne, a wife and mother of two, is the primary source of income for her family. Prior to her enrollment in Steps2Success (S2S), she had been at her job as a front-desk receptionist at a doctor’s office for 10 years, earning $10.00 an hour. She loved interacting with patients and working in a medical environment but didn’t see any opportunities for advancement. She dreamed of being a nurse, but going back to school seemed impossible.
Thanks to the support of the Siemer Institute, Anne enrolled in S2S, where she was paired with both financial and career coaches. They identified benefits and resources to provide short-term relief for her family and began building a long-term plan for the future.
While continuing to work as a receptionist, Anne also worked part-time on weekends and evenings as a home healthcare aide to increase her family’s income while also earning valuable, hands-on patient care experience. The days were long – sometimes, she worked 15-16 hours – but she enjoyed the work so much that she planned to put some of her extra income toward a CNA (certified nursing assistant) license.
Because of Anne’s consistency in the program, passion to be successful in her career, and desire for better for her kids, she was awarded funds through the Steps2Success program to enroll in a certified nursing assistant program. Because this was one of her goals, she reduced her work hours and attended school at night for four weeks.
Anne completed her training and passed the state certification in July 2022. Also, while working and attending night school, Anne began online course work to obtain her GED. Since the passing of the state certification, Anne has obtained better employment working as a CNA and increased her hourly rate tremendously, and is no longer living in the poverty zone.
After earning the certification and increasing her income, Anne has stable housing for her and her family, thanks to the partnership and support of the Siemer Institute.
The Siemer Institute helps fund Lutheran Social Services, which is a service provider of the United Way of Northeast Florida.