How Monique is Building a New Future
When Monique moved to Dallas, she hoped to leave behind the anxieties of living in the troubled Heart of Chicago neighborhood. She longed to put her high school diploma to work and make a better life for herself and her son. But, she discovered the school she attended was not accredited. Without a high school diploma or livable income, she was soon homeless and swirling into a depression.
One day, she turned to Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry for assistance. She told our team about her struggles, and they connected her not only with food, but also with our GED program, a licensed counselor and other services to remove barriers in her way.
Equipped with these tools, Monique has been faithfully building a new life, earning her diploma in just five months and working steadily with a financial coach. She applied for and was awarded a scholarship to attend community college, and she is now pursuing her dream of being a surgical technician.