In February SkillSource received a donated car from a member of our Wenatchee community. The car was in need of some maintenance, but otherwise was in great shape. Lisa Romine, SkillSource CEO, received the keys and the title from the prior owner, Lucy Clark. SkillSource then used supportive service funds to get the donated car road-ready so it could be passed along to a participant in need of transportation to get to work and training.
The Right Candidate
Darlene is a single mother of two who was new to Moses Lake, and needed a good job. She attended the SkillSource Job Fair and was approached by a staff member to find out how her search was going and if she could use some help. Darlene learned that SkillSource partners with local businesses to develop on-the-job training opportunities to help trainees earn while they learn. Armada Corp, a local collection agency, had an opening that seemed to be just the right fit for Darlene so SkillSource connected her to Amanda Sampley, the manager at Armada. Shortly thereafter, Darlene was hired to train on the job!
SkillSource worked with Armada on a training plan and also provided Darlene with support services, including appropriate work attire and connections to housing and other resources for her children. Since being hired by Armada, Darlene has learned new computer skills, mail handling, front desk duties, state and federal collection laws, coding, typing, and how to handle lawsuits. We are so happy to see Darlene thrive in her new position, and we are grateful to Armada for partnering with SkillSource to help find and train great candidates like Darlene!
There She Goes …
This week the donated car received its final repairs, including new brakes, fluids and tires and a thorough detailing. Ken Johnson, SkillSource Board Member and local business owner, came by to present Darlene with the car, keys, and title of ownership to Darlene.
The entire Armada team came out to the parking lot to celebrate! Darlene recently had to rent a U-Haul truck in order to get groceries, which not only isn’t financially sustainable, it’s an obstacle to self-sufficiency. Today, that obstacle is gone. And Darlene now has the means to transport herself to work, to support her children as they grow, and to continue confidently on her road to success!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this incredible opportunity possible. When community shows up for each other, we all go farther.
