Photo Credit: Chris Bennett

40 Stories for 40 Years – Profilee 18

Laurie attended a series of New Ventures Maine (then known as Displaced Homemakers) classes in the early 1990s. At that time, she had recently separated from her husband and was living alone with her children. While she had a job and knew basic money management skills, she wanted to know more about navigating the world on her own.

Laurie always felt competent, but she did not feel confident enough to demonstrate her competence in the world. That’s what she wanted to learn from New Ventures Maine. During her time with NVME, Laurie participated in classes that explored managing finances, job searching, and finding community resources. While working with NVME, Laurie learned that she knew more than she thought she did. Following the classes, she says she felt “self-confident and empowered.”

Laurie feels strongly that her participation in New Ventures Maine’s programs had a very positive impact on her life. She shares, “These programs were a large factor in me being able to move forward and live the next twenty-five years as a competent, independent, and an empowered person.”

If Laurie could give advice to someone in her situation when she went through the program it would be to, “plan for retirement and sign up for New Ventures Maine workshops and classes!”