Education and Job Training
Thank you for your support of WACCS. We thought you might like to know what we have achieved with your generous donation.
The recent strategic planning efforts at WACCS resulted in a renewed focus on anti-poverty education to help women begin creating a better future for their families. Our anti-poverty education is based on the model developed by Ruby Payne, Phillip DeVol and Terri Dreussi Smith and published as "Bridges Out of Poverty". This groundbreaking research yielded a curriculum called "Getting Ahead". The workbook used in 12 once-a-week sessions, teaches women from generational poverty an understanding of societal structure, how to assess their personal situation, recognize their resources (or lack thereof), understand barriers that keep them in poverty and to make a personal plan for a better future. Women who graduate from this program have the knowledge and determination to get ahead. This leads to enrollment in other classes and development their job skills.
Women come to us by referral from other agencies as well as through our Diaper Bank. The Diaper Bank provides a week's worth of diapers once a month for three months to income eligible women. At the end of three months, the woman is interviewed to identify why she is not able to provide diapers for her children. We find the lack of money to purchase diapers is just one of many defeating challenges for that family. Generational poverty and the lack of personal resources is a barrier to self sufficiency for the women we serve. In those individual interviews, our Client Services Manager provides resources and referrals as well as encourage enrollment in our programs; in particular our anti-poverty programs.
In three years, WACCS has touched the lives of more than 1500 families and more than 60 women have built new futures through our programs. They receive consistent, caring support and education they need to make sustainable changes in their lives.
We hope you will support our efforts and send a tax-deductible donation or call us at 775 825-7395 You can visit our location at 255 W. Peckham Lane, Suite B in Reno or visit our non-profit cafe and gift store, “HOPECafé & Gifts” located at 555 S. Virginia Street near Downtown Reno.