Laverne is No Longer Settling for Less
When
Laverne Coley was homeless, she had no idea that her life
could ever amount to anything. She had become conditioned
to settling for less in every aspect of her life. Yet,
in two-and-a-half years everything was transformed.
Laverne will tell you it was a
transformation of larger-than-life proportions. She
talks about her angels and her spiritual awakening.
Laverne went from a life of substance addiction, incarceration,
poor choices, and spending nights in abandoned buildings
to being employed and recently moving into her own apartment.
She even has a mouth full of perfect teeth that allow
her to flash her lavish smile.
Laverne lists her angels as Sister
House Recovery Home, her addiction recovery group, Chicago’s
Community Kitchens (a program of the Greater Chicago
Food Depository), and The Cara Program.
“I got lost,” said
Laverne. “Being lost led me to making poor choices
that gave me false courage and kept me imprisoned in
my self-centeredness. Drug abuse sent me to prison where
I was exposed to a recovery program. There I was able
to identify with others who were improving their lives
and that lead to a spiritual awakening. I heard stories
of others who had lived a life like mine and got better.
When I got to Sister House, I continued my journey of
recovery and was eventually referred to The Cara Program.”
Thinking at first that The Cara Program was just about
getting a job, Laverne had no idea how complete her
transformation would be. Crippled by insecurities about
her appearance, impatience at her inadequacies, and
embarrassment that she never finished high school, Laverne
wanted all that The Cara Program had to offer her.
Katie Bartlett, client support specialist, noted that
Laverne took a long time to find a job, yet she never
faltered.
“She never stopped being
positive,” said Katie. “She never showed
discouragement and you could just see her confidence
growing. Her zest came out. She was passionate about
her future.”
Laverne benefited from Cara's volunteer
dentistry program, which restored her beautiful smile.
She cried over her computer illiteracy, but persevered
until she could use a computer. She participated over
and over in mock interview sessions. She learned how
to dress and act in an employment interview. She completed
12 weeks of training in food service at Chicago’s
Community Kitchens. She earned a job at Sodexho in food
preparation at the Museum of Science and Industry. She
earned a raise. She earned a promotion.
But most of all, Laverne
Coley learned not to settle for less.
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