A Getting Ahead story …

Before Getting Ahead, Linda Woodard was floundering. She retired in June 2023 as a healthcare clerical assistant, but quickly realized that she didn’t have enough money coming in to pay her bills and buy groceries. A New Orleans native, Linda is a Hurricane Katrina survivor and has lived in Union County for almost 20 years.   

“I had collected retirement gifts but when those ran out Social Security was all I was getting. I could pay for my house and monthly bills but I could not eat. I was making that choice between paying bills and groceries,” she said. “Life was just hard.” 

Then she spotted a job fair sign at South Piedmont Community College – which is where she found Common Heart this spring and learned about our Getting Ahead program. 

During the 19-session Getting Ahead program, participants like Linda discuss 11 resources that we each need to thrive: financial, emotional, mental/cognitive, language, social capital, physical, spiritual, integrity & trust, motivation & persistence, relationships/role models and knowledge of hidden rules. Poverty isn’t just about money, but it is often the first thing people think of when talking about instability. 

GA graduates are also eligible for seven sessions of free professional life coaching to help them achieve the goals they set for themselves. Our innovative Emergency Savings Incentive Program allows graduates to earn a $500 emergency savings account as they build skills needed for success.

“Everything was up in the air before. I didn’t know what to do, and now after Getting Ahead I have direction and hope,” Linda said. She now has a part-time job at the front desk of a local children’s clinic and is taking advantage of our Stability & Growth workshops as she earns points towards that $500 emergency savings account. 

During Getting Ahead sessions, Facilitator Ruth Wilson said she could always count on Linda to “make the sessions lively and happy. She is a very giving person and was always very engaged in the sessions.”

Things are looking up for Linda!

“I’m in a more stable place right now,” she said. “I needed Getting Ahead and I didn’t realize how much I needed it. I learned about so many resources that are available in Union County to help out – so many I had never even heard of. GA was a real blessing.” 

If you think you would benefit from Getting Ahead, apply online at Getting Ahead – Common Heart. Participants receive a $35 Wal-Mart gift card plus free dinner and free childcare (if needed) for every session they attend. Graduates have the opportunity to receive free life coaching and earn $500 deposited into a bank account through our Emergency Savings Incentive Plan (ESIP). Call Ruth Wilson at 704-875-7887 with any questions. 

If you would like to help support the GA program with financial or meal donations, call Grace Lotharp at 704-684-9007. Speakers are also needed to share expertise during monthly resource meetings.