For nearly three decades, Lory and her husband owned their own business on the east coast. When her husband unexpectedly passed away, Lory knew she couldn’t afford the cost of living in their current home. She purchased a mobile home and relocated to Barbourville.
“I needed to get a job,” Lory explained. “When you are self-employed as long as I was, you don’t really have a true work history. I didn’t know what I wanted to do.”
Lory saw an article in the newspaper, the local senior center needed a volunteer. Lory volunteered for just one day when the director suggested she enroll in Goodwill’s Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP) so she could get paid while she trained.
“I had never heard of (the program), but Lou Anne (career coach) came to interview me. That was in April 2019. I have been here two years,” she said. “My first year was with the SCSEP program. Once my paid training period was over, the senior center didn’t want to lose me, so they offered me a job.”
Lory was hired as a senior services aid. She delivers up to 100 meals per day and serves as a caretaker for many clients, assisting them with shopping, cleaning and other household tasks.
“The sad part is, seeing me may be the only human interaction they have for the day,” she said. “I make sure they are OK. I never thought I would be in a position to help people. It’s like a totally different career for me. Lou Anne encouraged me to get a certification in food production management.”
For Lory, Lou Anne is more than just her career coach.
“Lou Anne is one of my favorite people in the whole world,” she said. “She has become a friend. She is always so enthusiastic and will do anything to help you. I wish I could reach more people about this program. I would go crazy if I couldn’t work. You can’t put a value on getting out of the house, working and helping people.”
For more information about SCSEP, or to apply for the program, contact Program Manager Sonya Johnson at 844-439-3977.