Twenty-eight-year-old Courtney Palmore can often be found enjoying time with her son Roland, aged 11, and her daughter Alani, aged 1, at one of our local area parks. The happy trio love playing games, shopping, and doing arts and crafts together. Wanting to improve her family’s circumstances, Courtney recently set out on a journey toward self-sufficiency with the help of Santa Maria.
Despite facing personal challenges, including dropping out of school at 17 and dealing with mental health issues and anxiety, Courtney didn’t let those obstacles deter her from seeking a better future for herself and her children. Her first goal was to obtain her high school equivalency diploma, and despite self-doubt, Courtney persevered and achieved that goal! With the help of KiYah Madison, Youth Workforce Coach at Santa Maria, Courtney then set her sights on finding a career. “Courtney is a very dedicated and determined individual,” KiYah said. “She always wants to grow more as a person. When she has a goal, she is eager to get to it and accomplish it.”
Courtney recently decided to set her sights on becoming an electrocardiogram (EKG) technician. Santa Maria was able to utilize funds from Project LIFT, a program led by United Way of Greater Cincinnati that supports families in overcoming financial obstacles, to help Courtney obtain that certificate. Courtney has aspirations of owning her own business someday.
In addition to her career goals, Courtney also sought assistance from Santa Maria’s Every Child Succeeds (ECS) program, which provides home visitors who go into homes of families with babies and young children up to age 3. At the same time, Courtney continued to work with Santa Maria’s Workforce Development program, receiving support in finding employment and financial coaching to create a family budget. “Santa Maria has impacted my life in all good ways,” Courtney said. “I never felt like I was alone.”
Courtney is grateful for the impact Santa Maria has had on her life, noting that she never felt alone, thanks to the support of her coaches. She credits them for helping her build confidence and grow as a person. Courtney’s next big objective is to become a first-time homeowner and achieve financial stability. KiYah has no doubt that Courtney will be able to achieve those goals with Santa Maria’s continued support.