Committed to making a difference

Greater Erie Community Action Committee

Brandi Brooks

Brandi Brooks wanted a better life. She wanted an education that would lead her into a career, helping her escape a minimum wage job and support her child. The Greater Erie Community Acton Committee (GECAC) enrolled Brandi in its Adult Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Program at Erie County's CareerLink. Sue Van Slyke, a job seeker specialist at GECAC, helped her schedule an appointment with the WIA adult registration program and develop an employment plan.

Brandi wanted to attend the Great Lakes Institute of Technology and study to become a medical assistant. Though she had never worked in the medical field, Brandi had both drive and determination that would help her succeed.

Though her tuition costs were high, Brandi received help from GECAC in grants and adult WIA funds that covered a large portion of her total expenses. She also received additional supportive services from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, including child care and transportation to school. Additionally, she qualified for Section 8 housing.

Brandi remained intensely focused on her goals. She built a strong support system with her family and her new friends from school. She worked full time, attended evening school full time and supported herself and her son, even though her schedule began before 7 a.m. and didn't end until 11 p.m. everyday for a year. She was also expecting her second child and was coping with the untimely death of her brother. However, with ongoing support from her family, Brandi continued to strive toward her goal.

In May 2006, Brandi graduated with honors, earning the Gold Star Achievement Award in clerical and clinical studies and went on to serve her internship at Regional Cancer Center in Erie.

When her internship was completed, Brandi was offered several positions accepting a unit secretary position in the Oncology Department at a local hospital. Brandi feels her internship at the Regional Cancer Center was instrumental in helping her gain employment that she enjoys so much and supplies good pay and benefits.

Brandi says of her involvement with the adult WIA at GECAC, "I would still be working many hours making a little above minimum wage at a local market, struggling hard to support my children and wanting to have a professional job with good wages. With this opportunity from the adult program, my life has changed forever."

Brandi's long-term goal is to become a registered nurse. She remains a positive, strong willed role model for her children and is a compassionate, dedicated and very caring human being.

While attending school, Brandi was given an assignment to write her own mission statement. Part of her statement reads: In life, anything is possible, and for those who told me I won't...I will...for those who told me I couldn't, well....I DID!

Greater Erie Community Action Committee works to eliminate the causes of poverty throughout Erie County.