“A year ago, I would not have expected to be in this position,” says Sam, a young mother and former Catholic Community Services (CCS) client, now a full-time employee with CCS. Sam cites the CCS Aspiring Social Services Employee Training (ASSET) program as the catalyst for this transformation in her life.
The ASSET program equips CCS clients with the tools to build fulfilling careers in the social services. ASSET students attend classes and participate in internships to prepare them for entry-level positions at CCS and other nonprofit organizations.
Sam and Greg, recent participants in the ASSET program, have seen their lives change as a result of the skills and opportunities provided to them through the program. Both Sam and Greg now hold full-time positions with CCS and are on the path to achieving new goals in their personal and professional lives.
Sam’s Story
Before finding the ASSET Program, Sam felt discouraged by her lack of professional opportunities. “My choices prior to coming to CCS were not the best, and I was in a position where I didn’t have many opportunities professionally, even though I had the skills and the work ethic.”
Sam first learned about the ASSET program through her aunt, who participated in the program. Sam witnessed firsthand how the ASSET program changed her aunt’s life, and inspired by her aunt’s success, Sam began the program in the spring of 2023.
For Sam, the ASSET program opened the door to a more fulfilling career path. “The ASSET program was a second chance at doing what I enjoy doing in life.”
Following her completion of the ASSET program, Sam began working for CCS as a resident support staff at a CCS homeless shelter for older men in Seattle. After six months in that position, Sam became a case manager at the shelter. “This is like my second home, and I made a family here in so many different aspects.”
| “The ASSET program gave me hope.”
Throughout her transition to her new job, connections from the ASSET program have been a valuable resource for Sam. Kerry Cooley-Stroum, ASSET program manager, stands out as a mentor and fierce advocate for Sam in her new position. “She was definitely my number one cheerleader, and I love her. She’s very supportive,” Sam says.
Today, Sam is completing her undergraduate degree and plans to attend law school. “My ultimate goal is to become a lawyer and work for the State of Washington,” Sam says. “I want to be the voice for the voiceless.”
For Sam, participating in the ASSET program helped her make progress toward a brighter future. “The ASSET program gave me hope. It gave me hope to change. It gave me hope to start a new beginning,” Sam says. “I would recommend the ASSET program for anyone and everyone.”
Greg’s Story
Greg first arrived in Seattle in March 2022. Without a job or a place to stay, Greg found himself living in a tent. At that time, Greg had been sober for over two years, but with his past struggles with addiction and involvement in crime, finding a job was no easy task.
Searching for a place to stay, Greg was welcomed by CCS’s Junction Point Shelter. During his stay at Junction Point, Greg connected with one of the shelter staff, who recommended him to the ASSET program. “It was God’s will,” Greg says.
Shortly after starting the ASSET program, Greg found permanent housing in the form of a studio apartment. Greg participated in an internship at the front desk at a CCS office through the ASSET program, and upon completing the internship, Greg was hired as a front desk staff member. Equipped with his ASSET training, Greg now works as a resident support staff at a CCS permanent housing site for formerly homeless women.
| “It gives you an opportunity … to get back on your feet.”
“If you’re trying to live right, you need a job. And it’s hard to get a job if you haven’t worked in a while and you don’t have no resume,” Greg says. “With the ASSET Program, it prepares you and trains you. And then it gives you an opportunity to get a job — to get back on your feet.”
Greg is grateful for the opportunities the ASSET program helped him access and hopes that his story can serve as inspiration to others who are struggling. The ASSET program, Greg says, “was a doorway to a better life.”
Now that Greg has a stable job, he enjoys the freedom to cook his own meals and watch his favorite T.V. shows after work. In the future, Greg aims to save up to travel the world. “I would like to take a vacation and explore Nigeria because I’m part Nigerian. That’s something I want to do, and I’m able to do that because I have a job.”
Greg hopes that CCS supporters understand the incredible difference they have made in his life and the lives of countless others. “I just want to say ‘thank you’ to the donors because donating really does help a lot of people.”
With a gift today to the CCS Appeal for the Poor, you will profoundly impact our most vulnerable neighbors in western Washington, bringing hope, stability, and ultimately, transformation.