When “Tony” came to the The Way to Work (TWTW) office, he was sick with sinus issues and could not stay awake during the initial meeting with his career coach. He didn't have insurance or money for a doctor's visit. He did not have SNAP or Medicaid because he didn’t understand the paperwork. Tony’s coach helped him apply online and was approved for both SNAP and Medicaid as a temporary measure. Tony attended the Going Beyond class and made it all the way to graduation, wearing a graduation gown for the first time ever. With the help of his coach, Tony applied for a job in an LSU cafeteria and was hired. TWTW used SNAP E&T funds to give him a bus pass and purchased a uniform to get him started. Nine months later, Tony is still employed with LSU and, following the savings plan he created with his coach, he has saved enough money for his first car. Tony is now self-sufficient and no longer on SNAP or Medicaid.

“Danielle” is a refugee from Cuba trying to make her way in America. She had a part-time job at a wholesale warehouse, but it wasn’t enough to make a living for herself and her disabled son. Danielle came to HOPE/The Way to Work’s Going Beyond class because she heard that the instructor was fluent in Spanish and could help her realize her dream of working in the medical field. Improving her English as she went, Danielle graduated from the Going Beyond essential skills class, then worked with her career coach to get into a trade school, paid through HOPE’s grant funding. Today, Danielle has a career as an EKG Technician in the emergency department of a local hospital. She is proud to support her family and grateful to her coach for showing her The Way to Work. Way to go, Danielle! Keep living the dream.

“Andrea” began The Way to Work program with the dream of becoming a truck driver. Her coach helped her set goals and successfully graduate from the Going Beyond classes before connecting Andrea with a driving school to earn her CDL. Andrea had a rocky start in driving school and needed the guidance of her coach to stay on track. Her hard work paid off as Andrea obtained her CDL and, due to the high demand for truck drivers, she is making $25/hour to support herself and her family. This is almost three times what she has ever earned before! 

Andrea says she wouldn’t have been successful without the essential skills she learned in class and the support and encouragement of her coach. She knows that her coaches are here when she needs them now and in the future.

Laura has faced many obstacles, including critical health issues, a criminal record, and an unhealthy home life/relationship. She has never been able to maintain employment for more than a short while. During Laura’s multiple-year engagement with HOPE, she began volunteering in HOPE’s Client Choice Food Pantry and working with The Way to Work’s financial, career, and success coaches. Today, Laura has held a job for the longest time period in her life - over two years! She removed herself from the unhealthy home environment and is now supporting herself in her own place. Laura looks happier and healthier than the HOPE team has ever seen her. She has a sense of pride and dignity that only comes with hope.

In 2012, Jerome found HOPE Ministries through the North Baton Rouge Industrial Initiative and enrolled in The Way To Work classes. Instructors remember him as an “eager” student who soaked up all the information he could get. He then moved on into the Going Beyond Employees Achieving More program, meeting regularly with his coach and, step by step, setting and achieving his goals. He saw HOPE as an opportunity. After TWTW, Jerome was hired by Performance Contractors, where he is still employed! He recently stopped by to let us know how he was doing and to thank HOPE and The Way to Work for lighting the way to his success. Way to go, Jerome! 

In November 2019, Allison met with one of HOPE’s financial and success coaches. She had recently moved to Louisiana from another state and had no family here to help. Allison was working, but her low-wage job wasn’t enough. She shares custody of her children with their father and knew she would bring them to her new home in January 2020, but she had no extra income to save up for childcare expenses. After hearing her story and asking the right questions, our coach realized that Allison had some marketable talents and helped her make a plan to start a side business to supplement her income. At first, Allison was hesitant since she didn’t have contacts in the area, but she held on to the plan and began implementation. Just a few weeks later, she sent a text to that coach to let her know that she had her first client. Goals + a Plan + Hard work = SUCCESS!

Thanks to sound financial literacy training and one-on-one encouragement from her HOPE coach, Shawnese used a recent paycheck to start an emergency savings account, which is a first step toward healthy money management. She then chose to make the sensible purchase of a used car instead of maxing out her monthly budget with a larger note. HUGE steps toward a future that is high and dry!