When Zina came to us for help, she was a recent immigrant from Sierra Leone, struggling to make ends meet. Zina had a dream of working in health care, but she lacked the skills – and confidence – needed to be hired.
In 2020, Zina completed a no-cost, eight-week training course at JVS SoCal to prepare her for her future career in healthcare. Then COVID-19 hit, forcing stay-at-home orders that deeply impacted the job market.
Zina kept searching for a job, but like millions of others, she needed help to make ends meet. Again, JVS SoCal was there for Zina, providing her with a COVID-19 rapid-response grant that helped her pay for phone and utility bills, groceries and household essentials, allowing her to focus on finding a job rather than where her next meal was going to come from. Zina also received ongoing job readiness and interview practice during the economic downturn, so she could be ready the moment a position opened.
As families recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19, thousands in Southern California continue to experience deep financial and economic distress as they struggle to get back to work.
Sign the pledge to support struggling Californians like Zina through our work. JVS SoCal means Jobs. Vision. Success for Southern Californians and you'll help them get access to critical skill-building programs and job trainings at no-cost to them, so they can return to work and build long-lasting careers.
