Reason to Give: Reason to Give gave me the confidence and tools to finish school and start my career

Help Maria pursue her dream of working in the medical field

Maria's Story

Maria came to Reason to Give with a lot of weight on her shoulders and a lack of confidence to pursue her goals. She had almost completed her BA in criminal justice at UIC, but had to quit school to take care of her ill parents. After dealing with the deaths of both of her parents, Maria was ready to focus on her own life, but wasn't sure how to get started. Her goal was to pursue a career in the medical field. Maria completely immersed herself in the program and worked diligently to grow as a person and master the technical and professional skills she was lacking. By the end, Maria felt confident that she knew what she wanted to do with her life and had the resources to be successful. She is very grateful for the network of support she gained through Reason to Give.

Maria's Goals

Maria's goals were to finish school and lead a healthier lifestyle for herself and her family. Through Reason to Give, Maria learned about her credit and financial health. She also gained a wealth of resources on continuing education, financial aide, and job preparedness. She is now ready to finish her degree and start a career in nursing. Maria also focused a lot on her own well being throughout the program. She took several steps to manage her personal life as well: forming better family relationships, eating well, and incorporating stress relieving activities and fitness into her life. Maria is attending Reason to Give's Parenting Program to help her be the best mother she can be. She also plans to attend our Cooking Matters program to continue her journey to personal wellness. Maria graduated Reason to Give a much more out-going and self reliant woman. We are very proud of the work she continues to do here.

How You Helped

Without the support of the Reason to Give volunteer facilitators, all the knowledge and tools Maria gained wouldn't have been possible. Maria was particularly grateful for the parenting, healthy living, financial literacy and continuing education related classes.