Seeking Long-Term Impact Through Education and Skill Building
At a recent check in, Wanda said of her new life, “I like my independence. I love my sobriety. I have had so many blessings from God.”
In November 2011, Wanda, former resident of the Transitional Housing Program, rode off into the sunset at the helm of her very first vehicle, three years sober, employed and living in her own apartment. Unlike “riding off into the sunset” in a fairy tale, we know that the test of true transformation is what happens over the horizon. In fact, the Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) mission is all about the quality of life individuals have after completing the program.
We gauge quality of life through measures like: Has improved communication helped students with their work and life skills? Do they feel a part of the Cedar Rapids community? Are students and residents more financially stable? Have residents built supportive relationships? Do they have the skills to cope with crisis? Over time, these measures give us a clear picture of long-term impact.
Wanda is just one of many individuals who demonstrate successful transformation more than two years after graduating from the program. To encourage positive outcomes for residents like Wanda, in FY13, Transitional Housing implemented a formal Aftercare component to the program that provides ongoing support in post-program living.
At CMC, happy outcomes beyond the horizon are the result of each individual’s hard work and a well-developed program curriculum that supports long-term success. “School changed my life. With no school, I wouldn’t have a job” says student, Gui Fang Liu. ABEP Manager Wendy Arnold-Rodriguez says of Gui’s progress, “I have seen wonderful growth in her English ability and her confidence, which has really helped her in so many parts of her life. She’s bought a home and she’s settled here in Cedar Rapids and she feels like this is really her home.”
“School changed my life. With no school, I wouldn’t have a job.”
Monica says, “They touched my life so much at this point that after 6 years I can’t stop going there, as a student or as a tutor.”
The welcoming community we’ve built at CMC contributes to the lasting success of clients. Students and residents maintain a connection with staff, tutors, and fellow clients long after they complete programming. Students like Monica, who spoke no English when she arrived in Cedar Rapids, become tutors themselves. “I want to be part of that great place that improved my life and continues helping others.”
In this report you will see CMC’s program outcomes for this fiscal year. These successes build upon one another to create a foundation for the future. Through personal dedication and the ongoing support they receive from the Catherine McAuley Center, students and residents have nothing but an expanding horizon ahead of them.
Read more of our FY13 Annual Report.
Hear more from Gui and Lori as they share their story with United Way.