Eva Lee, a former WHW client recalls challenging moments in her decision to leave her abusive husband. “Coming from a mentally, emotionally, and physically abusive marriage, divorce was a welcome event in my life. Divorce meant freedom from all the unspeakable acts, suffering, and control from my ex. It meant a new beginning. But where did I start? Where would I go? I had nothing since I had lost all my friends and family during my marriage. Every day, even though I knew leaving was the right thing, I found myself filled with tears. I had no idea how hard this transition would be.”
Eva was forced to work odd jobs such as house keeping and pet sitting in order to pay her bills although she was a skilled technician. “I couldn’t afford interview clothes and I knew no one would hire me with the clothes that I had….so I just settled.” After years of unfulfilling jobs, she decided to go to an EDD workshop for employment readiness in which she was referred to WHW.
“I was afraid to go to WHW at first because I didn’t know what it was going to be like. I thought that I would have to pay or that they would look down on me. Instead, I walked in and I was greeted with big smiles as if I was being welcomed into someone’s family! I walked in a room full of clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and all types of toiletries like make up, perfume, and lotions. I couldn’t believe that I got to shop here!”
Eva was all the more overcome when she was paired up with a WHW Personal Shopper to assist her to coordinate her interview attire. “I had never genuinely been told that I looked great before this experience. Nobody here put me down or told me what was wrong with my look. Instead, they complimented me and showed me ways to dress for my shape and size. I really felt like I was given the tools to present myself better in interviews.”
Motivated and determined after her experience at WHW, Eva secured an IT job on her first attempt! “I wore my clothes proudly to my interview and to my amazement; I was hired on the spot by one of the biggest Fortune 500 companies!” Her career has thrived tremendously and leads her to expand her profession in multiple directions such as currently training all new staff members.
“I am proud to be a former client of WHWand continue to be a huge supporter for the good cause of instilling hope and helping women in need. We need to push for that big sister, we need that support to help us walk back into life with confidence. To this day, I still keep those clothes and have used them proudly in meetings because it reminds me where I started and the women behind my success. The first step back into society is always the hardest. WHW has helped turned tears into laughter.”
Nellie: A Model of Success
“When I was 10 years old a family friend named Charlie began taking me to the movies ever Saturday.” For the next two years of her adolescent life, Nellie was repeatedly molested. Her abuser successfully silenced Nellie for six years using threats and manipulative tactics. It was not until the age of 18 that Nellie courageously revealed the abuse to her mother. Due to the economic hardships after the loss of her father to cancer, Nellie and her mother had to relocate many times as she desperately sought a sense of normalcy. “It was very important for me to just be a normal teenager, wanting desperately to forget about what was done to me.” The violations of the molestation combined with her increasing battles with weight left Nellie consumed by destructive feelings of desolation and low self-esteem. Seemingly, Nellie found solace in “the only person who made [her] feel so beautiful.” However, not shortly after living together, he revealed himself to be an alcoholic man who physically and emotionally abused her. “For the next twelve years I endured countless beatings. I stayed because I thought I never deserved any better. It wasn’t until he began emotionally abusing our daughter that I found the strength to fight back.” In 1998, with the help of her mother, Nellie left her abusive husband for the last time. With her newly gained freedom, she decided to enroll in an educational center which also referred her to Women Helping Women. “My Personal Shoppers were so considerate and gave me such a sense of belonging. They made such a huge impact on how I felt by showing me how I should be treated.” Presently, Nellie utilizes her new business clothing and accessories as a teacher’s assistant while simultaneously acquiring her AA Degree in Sociology and Liberal Arts. Next semester, she will be transferring to UC Irvine in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. Additionally, she is enrolled in WHW’s volunteer program as she provides guidance and support to other WHW clients “It is my hope that I will help women who have been abused and show them that there is life after abuse.”
Tania: A Model of Success
Tania lived with the father of her children for 8 years even though he was a drug addict and alcoholic. While she worked full time, he exposed their two young children to his drinking and drug use. His addictions also resulted in physical, verbal, and mental abuse against Tania. “He made me feel like I was nobody.” He constantly degraded her, oftentimes in very public situations in efforts to control her. “He brainwashed me...I mean I had no self esteem. I thought that I could not survive without him, even though I was the one working and providing for all of us. He would tell me that everything we owned was his property and that I would be nothing and have nothing without him. After years of abuse and with the help of my family, I gained the courage to finally leave…for my children’s safety I knew I had to leave.” Part of her transition to self-sufficiency was coming to WHW. “Going through the program showed me that I not only can do better but that I actually did deserve better.” Tania took her newly gained self-confidence and image attained at WHW and earned a full time job teaching which helped her fulfill a lifelong dream of owning her own home for herself and her children.
VALARY – MODEL OF SUCCESS
Valary, age 19, currently resides in North Orange County with her 5 month old daughter. Valary comes from a tumultuous family background as her parents were not positive role models in her life. Her mother was a drug user and her father physically, emotionally, and mentally abused her. She was in and out of Juvenile Hall, had become a meth addict herself, and ran away from home at the age of 17. In late 2007, she was referred to WHWthrough a local homeless shelter for females. “WHW provided me with the skills, motivation, and confidence to look for a job when I didn’t feel like anyone would hire me.” The first step in Valary’s employment success was receiving professional business clothing and accessories along with image consulting from WHW’s Personal Shoppers. “After my shopping experience, I knew that I would get people’s attention in an interview because I looked and felt great!” The next step in Valary’s employment success was receiving WHW’s employment support services. WHW worked with Valary on her resume and provided her with mock interview sessions so that she knew how to market herself to employers. “I was so scared of going on interviews because I never knew what to say or what questions they might ask me. After receiving services at WHW, I was actually eager to go and interview because I felt like I was prepared to become successful! If I hadn’t been coached and helped with job placement, I would have probably just gone and worked at a fast food restaurant because I didn’t think anyone else would hire me. Without WHW, I would have settled for anything but with their help I knew I had more to offer an employer.” Motivated and determined after her experience at WHW, Valary secured a job at a major technological institute as a Computer Accessories Specialist. “I couldn’t do it on my own, I wouldn’t have even known where to start, so I am very thankful for WHW. The staff was all wonderful and I was treated with such respect and kindness. I really believe in the program and I have told all the women who come from situations like mine to go to WHW because they will help you because they really care.”
