The April 2000 Achiever of the Month Award was presented to Misty Vallance of Elkton.
Ms. Vallance is the single mother of two children. She came to the Family Independence Agency (FIA) for help in April 1999. Through the FIA, Misty received Family Independence Program assistance funds Medicaid, child day care and food stamps. Although she was thankful for the support, Misty was determined not to make public assistance a legacy for her two children. On April 16,1999, Misty was referred to the Work First program. From the very beginning she was determined to make the most of every opportunity.
When Work First provided her with funds to purchase clothes for interviewing she went out on a job search and in less than two weeks had a part-time job as a deli clerk at Caseville IGA. On June 5, 1999, one of Misty's early goals was realized, on that date her cash assistance case closed due to earnings. She was supporting her family with income that she worked to provide.
In June, Misty began looking for another job. In July, she found employment at Norman's department store as a sales clerk. Despite the increased income she was not complacent and continued to look for additional job opportunities. Later that month, she heard of an opening at Huron's Casting, Inc. She applied for a job and was hired as a production worker. She still works there today. Misty's efforts to provide a better life for her family continue. Through her Work First provider, as part of the Job Training Partnership Act program, she was able to enroll in the cosmetology program at the Huron Area Technical Center. She and a fellow student are already making plans to open their own beauty salon in the near future.
Printer Friendly
Text Version 
Email Page
The April 2000 Achiever of the Month Award was presented to Misty Vallance of Elkton.
