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KIM
On
October 30, 2001, Kim a single mom of three children came into Community
Action requesting help with her rent. Her only income was $500.00 of child
support and her rent is $450.00. She was faced with an eviction notice.
After reviewing her income and application, she qualified for the THOR
rental assistance program.
Kim
had been in college for a year attending LPN school when she came to our
office. She was faced with having to quit school to find a minimum wage job
so she could afford to pay her monthly debts. After explaining the rental
assistance program, with the requirements of goal setting and working
towards self-sufficiency, she decided to stay in school and continue to work
towards receiving an LPN and RN degree, with the help of THOR.
While
raising three daughters, running a household, and going to school full time
she managed to keep a 4.0 grade for more then 6 quarters. She strived to
keep her grade level at 4.0. Kim not only was a single mom, full time
student, and running a household she was the president of the Support Center
Board, a non-profit organization advocates for domestic violence survivors.
She believes in domestic violence prevention and donated her time towards
making a difference.
Kim
had to travel three days a week to Wenatchee for her clinical. She is
thankful for her children’s father who kept them while she was out of town.
She said being away from home has really taken a toll on her and the
children. There were many times when she wanted to throw up her hands and
just give up. She completed her LPN training in August and applied to take
the LPN state boards in October. Kim passed her state boards and continued
her schooling to become a Registered Nurse.
October 2002 her year of rental assistance was up and she would have to go
to full rent. I contacted the Housing Authority and requested that Kim be
put on the TEBRA rental assistance program so she could continue to complete
her RN training. She had eight months of school left. Kim’s grade point
dropped to 3.6. She said when she receives her RN certificate it does not
have her grade point on it so carrying a 4.0 lost its value. All the sudden
grade points did not matter as much as what the future holds. She just
wanted to complete school, get on with life, and give her girls the things
they deserve.
On
June 12, 2003 Kim walked into my office and gave me an invitation to attend
her capping & pinning ceremony. She had made it! The class of 58 LPN &
RN’s asked if she would be the speaker at graduation. She has prepared a
speech on what it takes to follow your dreams and to reach your goals! We
cried together, laughed together, and then discussed what job she might take
because she has several offers. She has made it. She is doing a job that
she truly loves and getting paid a decent wage for it. Oh by the way we are
not done yet. Kim wants to become a homeowner. I will work with her to
accomplish that goal too!
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