Katrina Survivor Letitia Theodore Thrives Thanks to the Christian Women's Job Corp
Woman Built New Foundation for Job after Hurricane Katrina
Photo Credit: Denis Jr. Tangney/iStock
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October 16, 2009
Before hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Letitia Theodore had a comfortable home in the Big Easy. However, when the disaster swept away her house and nearly all of her worldly possessions, she had to rebuild her life piece by piece. She spent three weeks living in a shelter and then moved with her family to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, still feeling lost and adrift, according to the HattiesburgAmerican.com.
But, thanks to the efforts of the Christian Women's Job Corp (CWJC) in the town, Theodore was able to take refuge in a loving, nurturing environment while educating herself and improving her resume, the news source reports.
"I was totally beaten down. I was a very sad person whose life had no meaning," she told the news provider.
However, the CWJC turned all of that around. "It was very scary at first because I had been out of school for so many years, but coming to the center made me feel better about myself," added the survivor.
She parleyed the skills that she honed at the CWJC into a position at a childcare center in Hattiesburg, where she helps high school students get ready for a college education.
The CWJC is a nonprofit organization that strives to equip women in need with the skills that they require to find gainful employment and live a richer and more satisfying life. They offer classes on topics such as money management, conflict resolution, effective parenting, stress reduction, nutrition and women's health.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that between 5 and 8 million Americans (2 to 3 percent of the U.S. population) have experienced some form of homelessness.
Women who find themselves homeless after a personal crisis or a natural disaster can turn to organizations such as the Homeless Emergency Project the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
