But what she’s really in the business of is connecting people to resources, like food assistance, childcare, transportation and post-secondary opportunities—so that they can excel in their careers and be financially stable.

She says some of our biggest needs as a community is just helping our neighbors navigate complex systems and access the resources that already exist.

During a staff swap at work, Nekeisha was assigned to work in a local shelter for women experiencing homelessness. She remembers a woman approach her asking about employment. She was unable to find a job that was flexible enough to care for her son who has a disability—which is why they were experiencing homelessness.

Nakeisha helped her get into school and she became a CNA and is working to become an LPN.

“She was a top student and even came to a conference and spoke to our federal partners on how we can improve the system,” Nakeisha says. “That’s a success story—even though it’s only one person, it can impact a generation. I know her son’s proud of her too.”