Award Timely for FSS Participant
Sarah1     The first annual Stepping Stone Fund Awards provided by Interfaith Assistance Ministry became a key to Sarah's ongoing success in achieving her goals.  The monetary gift became a reward for Sarah's progress as well as the bridge to future achievements.
    Sarah came to WCCA in December 2001, looking for rental assistance to supplement an increasingly tight budget.  A few months after receiving her rental voucher and obtaining new housing, she received information about WCCA's Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS), which assists families in reaching their life goals and achieve economic independence.  Sarah immediately contacted the FSS Coordinator to find out how she could join the program.  At 61 years of age, she had many goals in mind.  Sarah spent most of her life raising her eight children and working to ensure that her family survived, sacrificing her own needs and future.  At the time she came to the FSS program, she was ready to focus on what she wanted out of life.  Focusing on her dreams and goals, a contract was developed and signed in March 2001, giving her the advantages of the FSS Coordinator as teammate with a vast array of resources available.  
    Sarah had three specific goals that she immediately wanted to work towards:  obtaining her GED, getting her driver's license, and enrolling in college.  With the help of the Salvation Army GED program, Sarah began studying for her GED in July 2002, and passed all of the required exams by January 2003.  To help her with her goal of learning to drive, the FSS Coordinator applied for and received an award from the first annual Stepping Stone Fund Award at Interfaith Assistance Ministry, which was used to pay for Sarah's driver's education classes.  Overcoming years of fear, Sarah got her driver's license in October 2002.  The next step was affording a car.  In February 2003, Interfaith Assistance Ministry's car donation program provided one which gave Sarah the freedom and responsibility of owning her own car.  
    As Sarah accomplished each one of her milestone goals, she gained more confidence in her ability to meet other goals in her life.  After receiving the car, Sarah immediately started a part-time job at a local grocery store and enrolled in an introductory computer course at Blue Ridge Community College.  After researching degree programs, Sarah has decided to pursue a degree in nursing and is diligently working to achieve this goal by applying for the nursing program at Blue Ridge Community College and pursuing financial aid.  
    There is no doubt, Sarah's determination would have overcome any obstacles along the way to her goals, but the Stepping Stone Fund Award come at just the right time to not only remove an obstacle but to also to provide the catalyst that supported Sarah's growing self-confidence and ability to overcome years of paralyzing fear and self-doubt.  Sarah continues to be amazed by her own personal strengths and proves it is never too late to reach for your dreams.