Impact Stories
No two stories are alike. No two paths are alike.
The power of coaching and access to training to transform lives is no better exemplified than by the incredible success stories of our clients. Read on to be inspired. You CAN do this!
Meet Grace.
Pave Your Path coaching program helped Grace completely change her life. She gained the skills to get her dream career and has never been happier. Grace’s job as an exotic dancer was fun when she started, but over the years it turned into a nightmare. She felt trapped in her job. She was exhausted from feeling unsafe at work every day. She worried about providing for her daughter with an unstable income. She was convinced that no one else would hire her after working in adult entertainment. Solution In March 2019, Grace began volunteering at Pave Your Path. After she started there, it became clear that the program would benefit her. Wendy and Gail helped her create a resume and learn job search and interview skills. They showed her how to work on her credit issues. She was finally able to open a bank account. But their major focus was helping her become the person she wanted to be on the inside. She felt like she was running out of time to change her career. Grace needed to find a solution or she would never find a way out of the sex industry. And she knew staying wasn’t an option any longer. “The day I knew things needed to change, it was early in the morning. I was drunk already, getting ready for my shift at the club, and I was absolutely dreading it. I did not want to go. I was feeling completely hopeless, sitting at a bar. I remember feeling so lonely and so sad, sitting there like, ‘I can’t believe I have to do this again.’ My bad situation was impacting everything in my life. I had terrible body image. I was always sad. I didn’t like my life anymore.” ”
The part of the program that helped me the most was the dedication and genuine care of the staff and volunteers. It didn’t really feel so much like a project or rehab or something bad like that. It felt like a journey and an evolution that we were going to go on. I didn’t really know I was participating in it. That’s how good it was.” After The program gave Grace the tools to handle problems as they arise. Now she finally feels like “a person who can function and can get through this. It’s no longer like everything’s doomed.”
Pave Your Path helped Grace get a job at a family-owned company. Since she began working there, her whole life has improved. She knew that she was finally on the right path when her first paycheck was deposited into her bank account. She has never been happier with her career. After a few months in the program, Grace’s life began to change. “I started to notice results when my levels of toxic stress started declining. Like, I was no longer worried about if I’ll make it or not. I felt more in control of my decisions. Making the right choice stopped feeling like a punishment. So I kind of felt like I was growing up a little bit, and becoming more mature. Instead of being like, ‘Oh, I have to do that.’ It was like, ‘I get to do this for myself.’ I was no longer running away from the inevitability of getting older and moving on. It was more like, this is what can happen if we figure out together what’s a good path for you. Good things can happen.” I’m proud to tell my daughter, Holly, what I do for work. I can have normal conversations about my work with family, friends, and complete strangers. And I don’t sound crazy and feel so different from everyone all the time. I went from having all types of problems in my relationship to being madly in love and engaged to be married.
Meet Julie.
After years battling addiction, Julie found herself pregnant with twins just as she was starting her road to recovery. Where many would have given up, Julie reached out. With the help of her mentor, Julie was sober and healthy as she faced the challenges that young motherhood can bring. While no path to success is is perfectly straight, and Julie continues to work hard with the help of her mentor, today, she is a nurturing and successful parent. She has an apartment she can afford and a job she enjoys, and her children are thriving and happy, despite some tough choices along the way. Julie says “I am forever grateful for the guidance that helped me and my family be our very best.”