Good Faith Fund Helps Women Off Welfare and into Successful Careers

Helena, AR – When 33-year-old Linda Milton enrolled in Good Faith Fund’s Industry Partners program she was looking forward to a new beginning in life and a rewarding career. Due to attendance and transportation problems, Linda, had recently lost a job that she had held for three years at a casino. At the termination of her employment, Linda, a former long-term welfare recipient, was forced to reapply for welfare and other state assistance programs to help provide for her and her two children, one of which had dropped out of high school and was a teenage parent.

Linda was determined to use what appeared to be a hopeless situation as a stepping stone to get into the nursing assistant field. While enrolled in Industry Partners, she set attainable short term and long-term goals to serve as a road map for her future. Linda completed the nursing assistant training and has passed her 90-day probationary period at Crest Park Intermediate where she is employed full time.

In 2003, Good Faith Fund graduated 69 nursing assistant students like Linda through its “Industry Partners” workforce development program. Now, things are looking much brighter for Linda these days. She is no longer on welfare, and she has a vehicle. One of the goals that she is most proud of is her enrollment in college. Linda is taking courses at Phillips Community College, and plans to complete the LPN program. Linda has endured a lot, but she has accomplished even more in a short amount of time. With her sense of determination and her will power to not quit, Linda will be a valuable member of the health care field for many years to come.