James Falero proudly displays his GED
Post submitted by Eleanor Vaughn, Development Coordinator at Greenville Literacy Association
When James Falero came to the Greenville Rescue Mission, he was not only homeless and in need of basic necessities, but he also lacked education that could ultimately improve his prospects for a better life. Thanks to a newly-developed partnership between Miracle Hill Ministries and the Greenville Literacy Association, James earned his GED in late 2016 and has already obtained one CNC machinist certificate from Greenville Technical College.
The road to success has not been an easy one. Shortly after James came to Miracle Hill, he was offered an internship at the Rescue Mission. He battled scheduling conflicts and work demands to find time to study for his GED. With the help of Mark Alverson at Miracle Hill and Janet Wolf at Greenville Literacy, he was able to enroll in the literacy program that would allow him to study with tutors right there at the Mission.
James says, “It wasn’t easy. I was trying to learn four years’ worth of material in a little over a year. As head of housekeeping for the Rescue Mission, I was working full-time and on-call several days a week. I take my responsibilities seriously. There were a great many demands on my time, but the GED was important to me. I found myself doing most of my studying late at night. Mark, Janet, and my tutors rallied to make study time available for me. They all care enough to help clients have the opportunity to better their lives and get back on their feet.”
James Falero with his volunteer tutor at the Greenville Rescue Mission
A Match Made in Heaven
We are so proud to have been a part of James’ journey. Our partnership with Miracle Hill provides pathways to a brighter future for many people in the Upstate. Our services to guests who have completed programming at the Mission and wish to further their education and level of career readiness include multiple options for completion including a Career Readiness Certificate or a GED. Instruction conveniently takes place at Miracle Hill’s adult residential facilities, and the core purpose of this partnership is to help those who are ready to take the next step into career preparedness or job skills training. It’s important that we bridge the transition between completion of a program such as Miracle Hill’s and a long-lasting plan that has the potential to improve quality of life. Greenville Literacy and Miracle Hill even work together to offer additional practical training, such as computer training and workshops.
Though the partnership began with a three-year projection, we are thrilled to announce that we’ll be continuing our work together in the coming years and have actually expanded our WorkKeys programming. Want to be a part of this life-changing process? We’re always looking for volunteers to help guests reach their goals! If you’re interested in any of the wonderful, rewarding volunteer opportunities at Miracle Hill or Greenville Literacy Association, or just want more information regarding our partnership, please contact Eleanor Vaughn at (864) 467-3456, vaughn@greenvilleliteracy.org or Rhonda Corbett at (864) 242-6933, rcorbett@miraclehill.org
Volunteer Opportunities at Greenville Literacy Association
Volunteer Opportunities at Miracle Hill Ministries
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