Mother of 3 moves on from state assistance with help from JHI
Shirley Burns, a JHI cycle 2 graduate, was recently awarded a promotion at Jaguar Security to Supervisor. Burns has been with Jaguar Security nearly 2 years since graduating from JHI.
“I owe my success to JHI,” said Burns, who experienced a dramatic change in her lifestyle after graduating from the program.
Burns, a mother of three, had been receiving state assistance, including medical coverage for one of her daughters with a serious medical condition.
“I had been out of work 3.5 years because of my daughter,” said Burns. “I was doing OK. I had only a little money, but I was OK.”
But Burns decided she was ready to take control of her own life, ditching government assistance for a job.
“She was very concerned about getting a job and having all her state benefits, including medical, taken away,” said Todd Jones, JHI’s director. “She did it anyway; got the job with Jaguar Security paying $8 an hour and soon thereafter all benefits, including rent, were cut. But she persevered and was just promoted.”
“Before, I had everything taken care of; a place to stay, groceries, bills, health,” said Burns. “Then suddenly I had to pay rent and all of these other bills. I had to adapt. But it has helped my self-esteem a lot and I am better off now than I was before.”
In addition to her full-time job with Jaguar Security, Burns is going to school for culinary arts.
“Shirley is the reason why programs like this exist,” said Jones. “I am so proud of her and her family.”
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