Michigan Works! West Central Story of Success: Leora

Leora experienced some formidable barriers during her teen years.

She was largely raised in the foster care system, and at the age of 15 delivered her first child. Just a year later, she was legally emancipated and married.

Before long, her marriage turned abusive and substance abuse started to take hold. Leora had always had a dreamed of becoming a nurse and she knew that things had to turn around to make that happen. Through Leora’s faith, she was able to get grounded and start her career path.

In 2006, Leora enrolled in the WIA program and obtained her Certified Nursing Certificate. During this time, she divorced and was raising her three children on her own. Eventually, she found herself re-married and being supported to obtain her dream of becoming a nurse. Leora applied and was accepted into the nursing program at Ferris State University.

Around the same  time, though, she began struggling with family issues. She received a call from her mother requesting she take care of her nephew, a child with special abilities.

The stress of family, finances and clinicals were taking their toll, but Leora never stopped working hard. She remembered the support she’d received back in 2006 and came back to Michigan Works! for assistance. She had exhausted her financial aid and used all of her available loans and still had about a year left of training. Her vehicle had just blown its motor and her husband had just lost his job. Leora was enrolled into our WIOA program and received assistance to obtain the dream she’d kept alive all these years.

Leora is now a licensed Registered Nurse working full time. Leora loves her job but has a new dream. She would like to complete her masters at the end of two years of working so that she can specialize in mental health nursing. It’s been a pleasure working with Leora and assisting her to make her dream come alive.