by Babs Cape –
I left the Georgetown office of Capital IDEA overwhelmed with thoughts of what if …
What if I had a husband whose abuse sent me fleeing with my two young children to live with my parents? What if I then had to rely on multiple part-time jobs, food stamps, and Medicaid to provide for my kids and myself? What if I were caught in the trap of seeing no future, no hope, nowhere to go?
But, what if I had someone believe in me and give me an opportunity to turn things around—a hand up and the support to make THE change of my life? Sounds like a Capital IDEA!
On March 7th, Emily Lucid, Capital Idea liaison, Karron Wilson and I visited this amazing place where lives are changed. While there, via a conference call, we met Capital IDEA alumna Erica Taney of Georgetown. She enthusiastically told us how grateful she is for Capital IDEA and her Career Navigator, Sister Anne Nguyen, “a rock when I was so discouraged. She stuck by me and encouraged me, never doubted me, and helped me pick things up.” Because Capital IDEA provided the tuition, fees and supplies, and child care, Erica was able to earn an Associate’s Degree to become a nurse! The organization paid up front for Erica’s education expenses, rather than reimbursing costs afterwards, which made a huge difference to her. She now has a rewarding career as a registered nurse, providing skilled care for pediatric patients in their homes. Erica is finally able to not only fulfill the needs of her family, but her job is also a vehicle to give back to the community.
This is one story. Capital IDEA has helped over 1,300 participants begin new careers, at a living wage! They focus on jobs in both health care and information technology, two of the greatest opportunities in the Central Texas workforce now. But other students have been trained in the trades for vocational and mechanical skills. All candidates for Capital IDEA services are interviewed to ascertain their interest and need, and their ambition to make this work, and whether or not they are college-ready.
Capital IDEA currently has 8 Career Navigators, serving over 700 adults in need. Some students need more guidance than others. Some participants have apprenticeships. And some students participate in group work.
Austin Community College works with Capital IDEA to bundle classes in time frames best suited to students. But tuition is higher for out-of-district residents, like those living in Georgetown. Plus, their transportation costs are also higher. The $25,000 grant by Seeds of Strength to Capital IDEA provides for Georgetown residents exclusively, and is greatly needed.
Capital IDEA enables adults stuck in poverty to meet their individual potential. We could see that Capital IDEA is furthering the mission of Seeds of Strength, helping those in our community. We could see our seeds are flourishing.