News & Updates

How many young adults can say their career path matches their favorite childhood Halloween costume?! That’s true for Kelli. She’s wanted to be a nurse as long as she can remember. “About half my family is in nursing! Really, I never wanted to be anything else,” Kelli explains.

But as Kelli’s graduation from Normal Community neared, she made the hard choice to delay college to work and save for tuition. Then she heard about the support available through Workforce180, thanks to United Way donors. It meant Kelli didn’t have to put her education on hold.

Kelli says monthly encouragement from Workforce180 mentors provided real stress relief: “Knowing there are other people who care about your education, care about you succeeding, that encouraged me a lot.” She also raves about the financial coaching, available through an innovative partnership between United Way and Mid-Central Community Action: “Michael [from MCCA] taught me so much about finances and credit. He helped me build my credit and understand how to use it.”

This December, Kelli will graduate from Heartland and continue to nursing school, possibly at St. Francis. We love to hear it! When students like Kelli find support to pursue their chosen field, it opens countless pathways to prosperity. Kelli’s nursing goal is coming true because friends like you invest in her future.