by Karla Ayala
On June 19, five graduates of HPP’s Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program were honored at our annual Graduation Celebration. Carrie Hamilton, Monique Lanchinebre, Sarena Luckett, Marlene Mazariegos and Lucia Ray received a diploma and shared their pride in their accomplishments with HPP staff. We celebrated the event with a lunch at our home.
Each of these women successfully completed the highly competitive, intensive, 12-month paid job training program that prepares economically disadvantaged and formerly homeless mothers for meaningful and productive jobs in community based organizations that enables them to financially support their families.
The graduates devoted as much as 15 months of their lives to HPP and developed strong and lasting relationships with the staff and each other. ”There was much love and extended family today,” said Karla Ayala, a CHW trainee who will be graduating soon.
Each graduate expressed her gratitude for the way the program changed her life. Carrie Hamilton spoke for all of them when she stated, “It’s empowered my life by motivating me with confidence and courage to be positive in life.”
Denise Miles and Teresa Tyson of Wells Fargo Bank visited to praise the program and the graduates and contribute $20,000 to the CHW Training Program.
CHWs are integral to our work in many ways. They are usually the first person at HPP that our clients meet and complete the initial intake assessment with them. In addition, CHWs do outreach in the community so that prospective clients and other agencies know what we do and how to get here. As a result, they form deep and lasting connections with staff, which was clearly evident at the ceremony.