Elizabeth married a young man she met in college, and soon after became a mother of two girls. Financial and personal stresses caused trouble for the young couple, and the relationship turned controlling and abusive. Although she had few financial resources of her own, Elizabeth left with her daughters to escape the physical and emotional abuse.
At the recommendation of family, she turned to WIN to help rebuild her self-confidence and heal emotionally. It was at WIN that she was encouraged to set and accomplish goals – and decided to enroll in vocational training to become a certified nursing assistant. WIN’s volunteer tutors helped her with her studies during the paid study time the program offers, and soon she was able to pass the state CNA licensing exam.
Now, she is graduated from the WIN program and works full-time at Wichita’s Catholic Care Center, a large senior care facility with good pay, benefits, and opportunity for advancement. Her future is bright and she is living independently with her daughters, in a safe and stable home.
Life as a single mom still has its challenges, including dealing with the needs of her daughter’s learning disability, but she says, “I know now that whatever comes my way, I can handle it – and by doing that, I’m setting a good example for my girls.”
