Living for Her Little Girl
Kayla's Story
With nothing but a garbage bag of personal items, $10 in her pocket, and the courage to make a better life for her unborn child, Kayla left an abusive relationship with no home and no car. She moved in with her family and started working at Burger King, relying on the bus for transportation.
After giving birth to a healthy baby girl, she applied for financial assistance and someone in the office referred her to CityLink Center. In 2019, Kayla entered the Per Scholas program because jobs in the Information Technology field provided a stable schedule and working hours that aligned with daycare. It was fast-paced and challenging, and she wanted to quit multiple times but told herself “You’re no longer living for yourself, you’re living for your little girl.”
While with staying family, she was able to save $2,500 to purchase a beat-up SUV to get her to classes, daycare and doctor appointments. The car lacked a muffler, air conditioning, and the bottom was full of rust. It fell apart quickly because she could not afford repairs and she drove in constant fear that it would break down. She needed to get a new job and a new vehicle so she could independently support herself and her daughter.
Through CityLink Center, she accessed the ChangingGears Repair Program, where they conducted a free assessment of her vehicle and recommended repairs at an affordable price. After graduating from Per Scholas and landing a job at Pitney Bowes, she was eligible for the ChangingGears Purchase Program and bought a 2011 Toyota Camry.
Though she wasn’t working in the IT field, all the skills transferred and she worked hard. The starting salary was $14.50/hr and she was promoted to a Team Lead, which led to a 50% higher salary and required a car to get to different job sites. She’s diligently working her way toward a Supervisior job in the next 2 years.
Kayla is now saving up for a house with a yard for her and her daughter. Looking back on the last few years, she said “I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of myself for not quitting. Even though I didn’t end up where I thought I would, I learned the right skills to live a better life.”
