Monique’s future beyond abuse.
What does it mean to have your life stripped down to nothing?
For Monique, a domestic violence survivor, it meant losing her home, her car, and her sense of direction. Despite her education and past accomplishments, she found herself a single mother facing rejection after rejection in her job search, with no childcare and nowhere to turn.
“I was really in a bad way,” Monique recalls. “Sanctuary and EEP saved my life — that’s not dramatic to say.”
When Monique’s caseworker referred her to Sanctuary for Families’ Economic Empowerment Program (EEP), everything began to change. Through your support, we provided her with:
- Hands-on training in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Professional resume writing and interview coaching
- Mock interviews with CEOs and hiring managers who volunteer their time
- A stipend and MetroCards to ease immediate financial burdens
- Most importantly, the belief that she belonged in the workforce again
The transformation was remarkable. When EEP placed Monique in a paid internship at a major Brooklyn hospital, she had the confidence to tell herself:
“I’m supposed to be here. I can do this.”
Using the “elevator pitch” skills she learned through EEP, she spoke with a site manager about her abilities — and opened the door to a permanent job offer.
Today, six months into her new position, Monique is setting her sights on future opportunities in medical coding or tech.
“I went from feeling hopeless to knowing I have a future,” Monique shared. “My past and my story don’t deter me from going forward and being successful.”
