“Climb Helped Me Get My Smile Back”

Every day, Climb staff advocate for moms to get the help they need to be ready for work.

Felicia, who lives in Gillette, knew she wanted to become an electrician for years before graduating from Climb.

At the start of her Climb training last year, Felicia expected to learn technical skills—but she was surprised when the program went way beyond that to other areas of her life that were holding her back from a professional career.

“I didn’t think I would be taken seriously with my smile,” says Felicia. “I was too embarrassed, so I was having a hard time getting out and finding a job. It was impossible to afford the expensive dental work I needed.”

Helping moms connect to the resources they need to be successful at work is a critical priority for staff during the Climb program. This advocacy can range from finding legal assistance to helping moms access daycare or housing programs they might not know about.

For Felicia, Climb helped her apply for a local grant that funds dental work. Once she got the grant, Felicia went right in and had the work done.

“I didn’t think I would be taken seriously with my smile. I was too embarrassed, so I was having a hard time getting out and finding a job. It was impossible to afford the expensive dental work I needed.” –Felicia

The impact was immediate. “My confidence has really turned around. I feel like a new person.

Climb helped me get my smile back,” she says. Felicia is now pursuing her dream job at Delta Wye, an electrical company. She’ll serve as an apprentice until she becomes a licensed electrician with the potential to earn up to $34 an hour.

Another Climb grad, CJ, who completed Warehouse Inventory training in Casper last year, also had something holding her back from gaining the skills she needed for a higher-paying job.

“Because of my eyesight, I couldn’t read certain signs,” she recalls. “I had to go out of my way to clarify what things said, especially if things were written on a whiteboard in different colors.”

Climb staff worked with CJ to apply for funding that would help her get glasses. “If it wasn’t for Climb, I probably still wouldn’t have glasses. I couldn’t

justify the expenditure. Having glasses has certainly made forklift driving easier! It’s also helped with my confidence, and I have a lot less anxiety.”

When you walk into work on your first day, having confidence and feeling ready can make all the difference. “I’m now in a place where I can hold my head up high and be proud of myself,” says Felicia.

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