How CCSC Puts Clients on a Path to Success

Whether helping with food, rent assistance, or job readiness and training, CCSC strives to see visitors to its programs become more financially stable and better equipped to reach for their dreams. Here are a few Workforce Development stories of realized financial freedom and dreams coming true.  

Earlier this year, Federico S., 72, lost his job as a ranch manager and struggled to pay his bills and take care of his sick wife. With little to no computer skills, Federico was unable to put together a resume or cover letter, and he could not apply for jobs online.  

“Working many years at a ranch, I knew horses, tractors, and farming, but not computers,” Federico said. ”I needed something better for myself. I needed something on my horizon.”  

Federico learned about CCSC’s Workforce Development Program through a member church and enthusiastically signed up for JobNet orientation and Career Coaching with CCSC Career Coach Carla Scotto. “I was depressed and Carla, she told me, ‘You’re good. It’s going to be OK. You have skills.’ 

“Immediately, I had the best people giving me the best advice,” Federico recalls. “Very professional, very kind people. They opened my eyes to better ways to search for a job.”  

While receiving computer training from JobNet’s knowledgeable volunteers, Federico worked with other volunteers and Coach Scotto to create a resume, cover letter, and “elevator speech,” and to practice his answers to mock interview questions. Scotto helped Federico determine his transferable job skills and what type of employment called for those skills. Within four months, Federico began working full-time as a maintenance manager with a storage company.  

“Before I came to CCSC I felt depressed, isolated. I felt out of the game,” Federico remembers. “I was concerned with my age. But every older man and woman has the treasure of experience.  

“Now I feel I’m back on track,” Federico said. “It’s important to feel back in the game.” 

Being employed has relieved Federico’s financial pressures and allowed him to pay his mortgage and stay in his home, but it was also important to Federico how his faith guided him to CCSC and his new future. “I felt the touch of the hand of my God at CCSC. He was telling me ’You belong here.’ I’m very happy because I feel my God was in every part of this.”  

Sean J., 48, sold Rainbow cleaning machines before COVID hit and he lost his business. He came to CCSC after being laid off from a security guard position. He was questioning what jobs his passions and skills fit. What Sean knew was that he liked helping people. “I like to take care of people,” Sean said. “That’s my nature.” 

Sean’s nature fit CCSC’s nonmedical Home Caregiver Training Program. He signed up for the training and graduated in April of this year. Unfortunately, Sean could not immediately look for a caregiver job because his mother contracted COVID and he became her full-time caregiver. Sean’s mom got better but his financial worries got worse. He returned to JobNet to learn computer skills so that he could apply for caregiver jobs online. He enrolled in Career Coaching in July and worked on his resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills.  

Today, Sean works as a youth specialist at a state group home for boys who have been in Child Protective Services.  

“I take care of them,” Sean said. “I tell them, ’You’re safe now, I got you.’ 

“CCSC lit a fire in me,” Sean adds. ”Career Coaching held me accountable and got me going. I worked on my certification and I’m working on more certifications.” 

Sean is becoming financially stable and is happy to help the boys in the group home while also helping his mom by paying her car note and helping her with other things like replacing her stove.  

“It feels good to know you can pay your bills,” Sean said. “It feels good to be unstuck.” 

Yelany G., 29, dreamed of opening a successful house cleaning business. Six years ago, she opened her business. A year later she learned about CCSC’s Martha’s Way vocational training for residential housekeepers and enrolled in the program to gain experience and learn more business skills and cleaning techniques.  

“Martha’s Way has been a wonderful experience in my life,” Yelany said. “I am grateful that throughout all these years the staff is always there and available to listen to me and give me advice. I am truly very grateful to all the people who make the Martha’s Way program possible.” 

Thanks to referrals from Martha’s Way and her clients, Yelany’s business grew, and she started hiring other Martha’s Way graduates. “I like to hire people from the program because I like to be an inspiration for them to start their own businesses.” 

Earlier this year, Yelany was able to take maternity leave with her first child while keeping her business going.  

“I continued receiving income from the business since I was behind the scenes organizing everything and making sure that my clients continued to receive quality cleaning,” Yelany said. “Now I am back at work with the same happiness as always.”  

In the future, Yelany would like to “experience new markets in cleaning, to make my business bigger and be able to give more work to people. 

“The best part is that I can earn my own income, organize my own schedule, interact personally with clients and, of course, be my own boss,” Yelany said. “To this day, I have not stopped recommending Martha’s Way to anyone who wants to start a cleaning business.”  

"Martha's Way has been a wonderful experience in my life. I am grateful that throughout all the years the staff is always there and available to listen to me and give me advice. I am truly very grateful to all the people who make the Martha's Way program possible."

-Yelany G.,

Owner of Residential Cleaning Services by Yenny