Photo Credit: Chris Bennett

40 Stories for 40 Years – Profilee 6

In March of 2011, Donna was in transition. She had recently set out on her own as a single mom and wanted to build a new life for herself and her child living with special needs. She moved into rent-subsidized housing and was thankful to receive support from TANF and food stamps. After taking the first steps towards her new life, she needed to find a way to become financially secure. She also wanted to complete her Health Science degree. This is when she heard about New Ventures Maine (then known as Women, Work, and Community).

Donna enrolled in several career planning and money management classes at NVME.  In these classes, she began to figure out her next steps. “Taking these classes in 2012, I was able to figure out a realistic path for me to achieve my goals,” Donna explains. With a clear plan in place, she felt confident and began to move forward.

Moving Forward

In 2017, Donna reconnected with NVME through financial education classes offered at The Ledges in partnership with The Caleb Group. Eager to refocus her energy on her financial goals, Donna was one of the first Ledges residents to enroll in the HUD Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program. Donna identified owning her own home and saving for emergency expenses as being two priorities in her life. So, she enrolled in NVME’s Rainy Day Saving Account matched savings program to save for unexpected expenses and started to save for her home.

Reaching Her Goals

Her goal of becoming a homeowner became a reality for Donna and her son in October 2018. In addition, Donna reached her goal of completing her Health Sciences degree with a focus in Healthcare Administration in August 2016. Her career has blossomed at MaineHealth where she now enjoys working as a Patient Service Representative at Saco Family Medicine.

Donna shares, “With the right motivation and tools, there is nothing that can’t be accomplished. What you learn in New Ventures Maine’s classes will help you reach your goals.”