Determined to create a better future, Ashanti’s first step was searching for healthcare training and job opportunities in her area. This broad search led her to Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida’s Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) – Steps 2 Success Program. Steps 2 Success gave her access to the critical guidance and resources she needed to pursue her dreams. She enrolled in August 2024, focused on taking control of her life. With support from her Workforce Development Coach,...

The moment Mellie walked into Steps 2 Success, she wasn’t looking for a handout — she was looking for a path forward. “I knew it was definitely an avenue for me to go into,” she recalled. A mother of three strong, successful daughters and a proud grandmother and great-grandmother, Mellie had spent her life caring for others. She worked sporadically as a CNA/HHA through a local staffing agency, contracted for private care assignments that came and went without warning. The work was meaningful,...

At 59, Jacqueline was ready for a new chapter, but she faced a job market that often overlooks older workers. She was hindered by the perception that she might not have the skillset needed to succeed in a world where technology advances rapidly. A recent graduate of FSCJ with an Associate of Arts degree, she was eager to build a brighter future despite the obstacles in her way. After a lifetime devoted to family and working to simply making ends meet, Jacqueline carried a quiet but persistent...