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...