Antoinette Green, a native Washingtonian, discovered Samaritan Ministry in 2018 through the Skyland Workforce Center, where she enrlled in our STRIVE job readiness training course. After a challenging and unstable childhood, at age 19 Antoinette became pregnant with her son, Andrew, who is now 3 years old. She graduated from high school two months before Andrew’s birth, but the challenges of being a single mother without a support system led to severe depression and she subsequently lost her job. Antoinette’s life began spiraling out of control as she began moving from home to home with her son. Her attempts to find work were unsuccessful.
“With my last $5 in my pocket, I was pushing my son in his stroller one day and noticed the Skyland Workforce center office of Samaritan Ministry. Realizing I had nothing to lose, I went in.” That decision changed her life. There she learned about SMGW’s STRIVE three-week job readiness training program and signed up to begin two days later. She was told that most people who begin drop out due to the rigor and challenges of the program, but Antoinette persevered.
Although she didn’t feel that she had sufficient job skills, Antoinette subsequently attended a job fair at the recommendation of STRIVE team leader Deirdre Duffy, where she was offered a position at a hotel front desk. Within six months, she was promoted to become the front desk supervisor and now trains others for the position, saying she wants to “pay it forward.” Antoinette reports that she and her parents now have a great relationship- they adore their grandson and her. She hopes to go back to school and get a degree in business, someday hoping to be a general manager.