For Charnice Jackson, the Whole Family Approach (WFA) at STEPS not only gave her the assistance she needed at a critical time, but they became the support system she needed to deal with the pressures she was facing. She first learned about the program through her local Social Services office and was moved by the attitude and graciousness of program staff.
“My first impression of this program was how accepting everybody was of my struggles,” she says. “Nobody judged me for all that I had been through, and they helped me set my own goals -- even though I wasn’t even sure of what I wanted those goals to be.”
Her WFA coach, Mrs. Holman, intuitively understood how hard it was for her to trust and open up to people. Charnice explains, “She checked on me and became more of a mother figure than a friend.”
Once that trust was built, Charnice began to work towards her goals and make some dramatic changes. “Since I’ve been in the program,” she says, “I’ve finally started to work on my online business. With the support of Whole Family, I even started a depression support group called Just Breath, which is located on Facebook for anybody who needs to vent or talk to others.”
She also took the life-changing step to go back to school and persevered even after giving birth to twins. The Whole Family program also helped her successfully achieve her goal of home ownership and purchasing her own car.
Additionally, Charnice has experienced personal growth, frequently giving serving as a guest speaker on behalf of WFA. She explains, “I just tell my story so others can relate.”
She reiterates the importance of the personal connection offered by Whole Family coaches to their community members. “Having somebody not giving up on you was my turning point.,” she says. “It’s hard to find information out here and Whole Family would help me get that. They were always a call away!”
“My first impression of this program was how accepting everybody was of my struggles,” she says. “Nobody judged me for all that I had been through, and they helped me set my own goals -- even though I wasn’t even sure of what I wanted those goals to be.”
Her WFA coach, Mrs. Holman, intuitively understood how hard it was for her to trust and open up to people. Charnice explains, “She checked on me and became more of a mother figure than a friend.”
Once that trust was built, Charnice began to work towards her goals and make some dramatic changes. “Since I’ve been in the program,” she says, “I’ve finally started to work on my online business. With the support of Whole Family, I even started a depression support group called Just Breath, which is located on Facebook for anybody who needs to vent or talk to others.”
She also took the life-changing step to go back to school and persevered even after giving birth to twins. The Whole Family program also helped her successfully achieve her goal of home ownership and purchasing her own car.
Additionally, Charnice has experienced personal growth, frequently giving serving as a guest speaker on behalf of WFA. She explains, “I just tell my story so others can relate.”
She reiterates the importance of the personal connection offered by Whole Family coaches to their community members. “Having somebody not giving up on you was my turning point.,” she says. “It’s hard to find information out here and Whole Family would help me get that. They were always a call away!”