Never looking back

Lawrence County
Community Action Partnership

Kathy Currie

Kathy Currie's humor, strength, perseverance and strong belief in God helped her overcome her nearly 10-year battle with drug addiction. While she was facing her addiction, Kathy, now 43, was raising four children alone. Kathie is now happy to have $5 in her pocket. In the past she would have wasted all she had on drugs. She says, "I don't have my rehab meetings with other people; I have them with God." 

Over the years, Kathy has received a variety of services from the Lawrence County Community Action Partnership (LCCAP). However, in August 2005, after being referred to the Supported Engagement (SE) program at LCCAP, her life really began to turn around.    

Kathy participated in the SE program to help remove the multiple barriers of addiction and dependency that were interfering with her obtaining employment. After successfully completing her goals through the SE program, she transitioned into the Supported Work Program (SWP). There Kathy gained additional job development skills and obtained full-time employment with benefits as a kitchen aide in the Head Start program.  

Georgiana Luce, family partnership coordinator, says, "Kathy Currie is always in a good mood as she goes about working without stopping. Kathy has a joy and purpose about her life at Head Start."  

In addition to working full time at Head Start, Kathy has a part-time job and is involved in church activities. Kathy is always willing to lend a hand and never says no when her family needs help. Many times she has put others before herself. Case manager, Michelle Scott, a former Self-Sufficiency Award recipient, says, "Kathy is truly an inspiration; her story is inspiring to me as a case manager."

In the future, Kathy would like to pursue additional education and obtain her driver's license. She has a desire to take what she has learned from LCCAP and give back to her community.

"LCCAP is an excellent place," says Kathy. "They have a lot to offer." She would like to help women who are going through the same situation and facing the same obstacles that she has been able to overcome. "I would tell anyone to go there [LCCAP] for help. My case managers have been a huge inspiration to me." 

Her family is also excited about the changes in Kathy's life that LCCAP has supported. "My mom has been so excited about my accomplishments," she says.

Lynn Fobes, family service worker from the Head Start program said, "Once Kathy found where she would get her strengths from, she never looked back." 

While Kathy still struggles from day to day, she has additional goals she wants to pursue and now sees a much brighter future. With accomplishments like her own, she never will need to look back.  

Lawrence County Community Action Partnership offers a variety of programs to assist low income individuals throughout Lawrence County move from poverty to self-sufficiency.