Got Ahead

From: Jason mehringer
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 8:27 AM
To: Judith Allee
Subject: GA


Judith,
It is hard to ascertain everything that the GA class did for me but I will give it a shot.

Working with this class first eliminated any bias I may have had constructed towards people in poverty. Working with them one on one demonstrated to me how driven and resourceful the working poor are and how willing and driven they are to elevate themselves, given the proper tools, out of poverty (so many times you hear in society that many are lazy, and working the system). Through my interaction I was also able to look at my problems through a different lens and was able to take their suggestions to help achieve the goals I have placed for myself.

The class really solidified to me that I am on the correct career path and that I truly do want to work within the field of social work and mental health. It helped me set goals of my own and work towards them. The class also gave me a real sense of accomplishment because I learned that I have useful knowledge to assist people in realizing their potential and that I can teach and be a useful member of our community.

Throughout this class I watched as many of the participants blossomed. So many of them started the classes in sweet pants and T-shirts and by the end were dressing up and putting on makeup. This to me demonstrated that many of them had found a new sense of optimism in their life. Many of them also started using a more formal register to speak to both myself and their classmates reinforcing the techniques they had been taught and would need in the world outside of class. Throughout the class I also witnessed many of the class members going above and beyond their assignments and seeking out new information that would be helpful for both themselves and their classmates. They openly supported one another and, if any prejudices were there to begin with, they consciously let them go, excepting each individual as their equal and partner in the fight to reach out of poverty.

I witnessed many of these individuals regain their passion for life and success. The class really seemed to invoke a new type of thinking. Switching from that I can't to I can attitude. The class really fostered positivity in all of us, both teachers and students. The GA class gave them back, I believe, their sense of power over their lives (internal Locus of Control). They already knew it would be a hard road, but through class I saw them realize that things are obtainable. The techniques the class and you taught us all about baby steps to goals are goals themselves, as well as the idea of writing things down, and that learning the language is ever on going and useful endeavor, I believe will continue to be a valuable asset to them the rest of their lives.

Through it all I witnessed a large change in their behaviors. No longer did they seem beaten but charged up for what ever life had to offer them, both good and bad. The same way I feel from participating in the class.

I hope this is what you are looking for Judith the class really did have a profound effect on me, as did you. I am forever grateful that I was able to be a part of the GA class and for the opportunity to work with such a driven and knowledgeable mentor.As a side note how is my letter or recommendation coming??? If you need anything further let me know, I am as ever at your service just as you were there for me. Talk to you soon.

Jason

"Life is either a Daring Adventure or Nothing"
Helen Keller

Changing the Future One Life at a Time

Editor's Note: Getting Ahead In Just Gettin' By World is an 18-session course offered by Judith Allee through Mental Health America's Parent Support (PS) program. In this class, low-income parents create a personal plan for becoming financially stable. What follows is the statement of one recent Getting Ahead graduate who is now helping to facilitate the current class. For more information on upcoming Getting Ahead classes and our other Parent Support programs, please contact Judith Allee at prevention@mhalc.org.

My name is Peggy Wachenschwanz. I am a 34 year old mother of twin 7 year old girls. The “Getting Ahead” class has truly changed my life. Not only my life, but my way of thinking about poverty, my goals and myself.

Before the class, I felt sort of “trapped” in my station in life. I was so used to being “mother” and “wife” that I had stopped thinking of myself. I’d stopped making goals or believing that my life could be different. I had forgotten the joy of learning and growing.

The class inspired me to take my future and my family’s future into my own hands. I learned about social services that I never knew existed! I learned about my own stock of resources and how to expand them. I learned about planning goals and breaking them down to be achievable.

I was empowered. This is knowledge that I now use every day as I strive to meet those goals.

I am excited at this new turn my life has taken and I’m inspired to teach others. I am now volunteering to co-facilitate the next class because I believe so passionately in what this class gives to the students. It’s awe- inspiring.

My family is happier because I am. I will go on to teach my children what I have learned. I feel so blessed to have had an opportunity to take part in the Getting Ahead program.

Thank you!
Peg Wachenschwanz

Burning the Candle

Ending poverty in Licking County is a lofty goal, I realize. There are a lot of reasons to not bother even trying.

For one thing, it's hard to keep your candle lit long enough to light the way. But, after meeting last Tuesday night with 8 volunteers committed to rolling up their sleeves to get to work on solutions to poverty, I believe we can make a serious dent in Licking County in my lifetime. Today my candle is burning more brightly.

These volunteers were 6 women from the Missionary Social Action Committee (M-SAC) at the Granville First Baptist Church, along with 2 other volunteers I invited. They came to an orientation meeting for people who want to serve on a team (called a Circle) that helps a low-income parent and his or her family to escape from poverty or near poverty.

The low-income parent serves as the Circle Leader and the other Circle members, called Allies, are people from the business and faith communities, along with others who want to make a difference. While the Circle Leader is learning skills and strategies about becoming financially stable, the Allies are learning about poverty in our community and its causes from the real experts (people in poverty).

Our Circle leaders will be people who have graduated from our Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin'-By World classes. (18 sessions that can change lives.) Over the last 3 years, about 100 people have graduated from these classes.

Okay, 8 of us at a Granville church may not sound like a big number. But if you'd been there, you'd have felt the energy, commitment and creativity that flowed through the room. My scalp literally tingled with some of the stories and ideas I heard there.

The Circle goes beyond bringing that particular family out of poverty. They look for strategies that will make all of Licking County financially stable. That means working together to ensure good jobs, education, healthcare, housing, law enforcement, and other services that keep the ship afloat and able to weather any storms. If the level of poverty causes a leak in our boat, the whole boat sinks. We need each other.

There's is one tiny hiccup. We haven't raised the money (yet) to make Circles happen. But I'm working on finding grants and I've got help--our Volunteer Brigade is awesome.

Call me at 788-0300 or e-mail me at JudithAllee@MHALC.org if you are:
. a low-income parent who wants to enroll in Getting Ahead
. someone who wants to work on solutions for poverty
. a business person who wants to save costs and increase productivity by increasing retention rates for entry-level workers, helping them and their families to climb out of poverty
. someone with an interest in reducing dropout rates for low-income high school and college students

Or if you want to join a rowdy group of people who fix cars on weekends. Or if you can fix up old computers so that kids in poverty can keep up in school. Or if you like researching or writing grants.

Or if you . . .well, you tell me where your gifts and passions lie, and we will find a way to plug you in. You can learn more about Getting Ahead and other MHA services by surfing our website, www.MHALC,org, or by visiting www.VolunteerMatch.org to learn more about a wide range of volunteer opportunities. You can also visit www.MoveTheMountain.org to learn more about the Circles initiative.

--Judith Allee
Parent Support Coordinator

I Love My Job

by Judith Allee,

Parent Support Coordinator

I love my job. You would, too. I teach a class called Getting Ahead for parents who are within 200% of the federal poverty level. During class, each class member creates his or her own personal plan to escape from poverty. It's fun and exciting to see the innovative solutions these parents create for themselves and their families.

There is a lot of thinking, processing and decision-making involved and the work can be overwhelming. It is an exciting program that offers real hope for change. Below I am pasting in some personal stories about our graduates that you might enjoy.

Getting Ahead Stories
Marilyn, a graduate of the Getting Ahead class with diabetes and clinical depression, got a 25-cent-an-hour raise at Meijers, triggering a slash in food stamps, housing, childcare and the loss of her medical card. To escape poverty, she must figure out how to earn not a little more—which left her worse off than before—but a lot more.

Employers can be part of the solution, and they can save money at the same time. For example, Cascade Engineering used Bridges Out of Poverty strategies to increase retention of entry-level employees from 29% to 69% by addressing barriers to work, like childcare, transportation, and domestic violence. By significantly lowering costs through better retention, Cascade was able to "do well by doing good." Locally, by partnering with St. Vincent de Paul and other organizations, we hope to add CirclesTM to our Getting Ahead program. A national initiative affiliated with Getting Ahead, Circles matches a team of volunteers from business and faith communities with Getting Ahead graduates. The Circle works with them until they are completely out of poverty.

As for Marilyn? She got out from under payday lenders, got her bills caught up, and opened a direct-deposit savings account for $5 a paycheck.

We have had about 100 Getting Ahead graduates since 2006. Here are some of their stories:

• A., 27, (graduated in June 2007) has gotten her GED and started college for nursing. Her children were temporarily removed due to a boyfriend's drug use and production. He's now in prison. She has completed her case plan with Children's Services and now has custody of 2 of her children and is regularly visiting the other 2 children. She volunteers to speak for Getting Ahead classes and helps other women formulate their plan.
• M., 30+ (June 2006), took a hard look at the colored pie-chart she made to represent her budget. By making it a visual mental model, she realized what a large chunk was eaten up by cigarettes in a way that numbers didn't. She set the goal of quitting, but her first few attempts failed. However, on Jan. 1, 2007, she quit smoking and has been smoke free ever since. That helped make it financially possible for her to maintain the home she purchased for herself and her daughter, despite having only social security disability income. She speaks regularly to GA classes, stressing the many hidden rules she encounters, and she was the MHA Parent Support 2007 Volunteer of the Year for her work teaching parenting classes, volunteering to teach classes in the jail, and helping to mentor parents in Getting Ahead classes.
• L., 45+ (June 2006), made it her goal to establish an emergency fund, despite living on disability income due to multiple schlerosis. She also made a point of building her social resources by connecting with people from college she had lost touch with. She was surprised to see that the class enabled her to build resources even though she is unable to increase her income. She, too, speaks to GA classes and mentors people in making their plans and she teaches parenting classes and volunteers as a nursing home ombudsman.
• B., in her mid-20s (grad. In June 2007), has entered the Individual Development Account, a first-time home buyers program. She is in process of improving her credit score so that she will qualify for a 2 to 1 dollar match for a down payment.
• B., late 20s (graduated June 2006), has returned to college and is planning to become an advocate for people with mental illness in order to honor a relative who disappeared without a trace. She credits GA with that plan and with numerous changes in her thinking and in her life.
• Fatina Evans (June 2007) and Stephanie Duffy (Dec. 2006), are current co-facilitators of our Getting Ahead classes. Fatina, Stephanie and T. (Dec. 2006) became AmeriCorps workers as part of their personal Getting Ahead plans. As a result they were able to teach GA classes and provide one-on-one financial coaching and tax preparation for GA members and grads. T. completed one year of AmeriCorps working with first-time home buyers; this qualified her to receive a $4000 award toward college. Stephanie is in her second AmeriCorps year (which will result in an $8000 award toward college, where she plans to go into social work). Fatina is in her first year of AmeriCorps, assigned to Mental Health America. She also provides financial literacy classes at the Licking County Jail.
  
• Fatina is the new "point person" for the initiative to bring CirclesTM to Licking County. She is helping to bring about a collaboration of organizations in Licking County with the goal of raising $25,000 over 3 years to establish the Circles. Circles would offering mentoring to Getting Ahead graduates. Each grad selected for Circle would become a Circle leader for a team of 3-6 allies from the middle class who would meet weekly for 18 months. The team's purpose is to access each members own networks in the community, brainstorm on planning and resources, and to bring the family completely out of poverty.
• C., 50+, (Dec. 2006), and J., 40+ (a current class member), who were already AmeriCorps workers, entered Getting Ahead classes, creating a viral effect in the community as they provide free financial coaching and tax preparation with a better understanding of the hidden rules.
• S., in her 30's and a survivor of domestic violence, applied for college while attending Getting Ahead. She has started classes toward nursing, despite little or no emotional support for her decision.
• S., 45+, a current GA member who serves on village council in a rural area, has proposed that two rural communities consider banning or regulating payday lending. Her advocacy has not yet resulted in action as yet, but she's not done yet!
• M., in her 30s (grad. Fall 2006), chose to work on being more healthy as a part of her Getting Ahead plan. She took a hard look at why her diet wasn't working, despite sticking to a stringent diet and exercise program. Feeling amazed and foolish, she realized she wasn't counting on the effect of calories from alcohol, and decided to stop drinking. She had always assumed she could quit, but it wasn't that easy, That's when she realized she was an alcoholic. She has spent the last year focusing on her sobriety.

Numerous GA grads and current members report that

1. They are using daily planning tools consistently for the first time in their lives and that it helps them keep moving toward their goals and reduces their stress and sense of being caught in the "tyranny of the moment" that keeps people stuck. They also report that they are better able to keep track of the numerous social work and health-related appointments that people in poverty have, so they can receive the help they need to move ahead.
2. They are more likely to make their voices heard. One graduate, for example, told the social service workers in her life that she intended to become a Getting Ahead success story and wanted to interview the people who support her effort over the next few years so she can write about it later. It's true. But this approach has had an impact on her relationship with those workers and on how seriously she is taken.