Resilience Rewarded: A Marine’s Journey from Adversity to Triumph

The clock was ticking. Marine Corps Veteran, Amanda, had three days to secure a job as well as housing for herself and her 14 year-old daughter. 2023 dealt her some serious blows and early 2024 wasn’t much kinder. The former Military Policewoman had always been the poster child for strength and resilience but how much can one muster?

Asking for help can be daunting when you’ve had a career based on invulnerability but Amanda reached out to her sister by choice, another 29 Palms Marine. She offered Amanda, her daughter, and their support animals a 3-day respite from the vehicle in which they’d be residing. Also being a Marine, she provided Amanda with a list of resources and said “You have to go see the people at Working Wardrobes.”

Amanda was connected with Peer Navigator Cris who immediately helped her secure funding to renew her massage therapist certification. He’s also working to get her more skills training because licensed massage therapists earn higher pay than certified ones. Additionally, she received a beautiful success suit and a healthy serving of confidence which she is certain helped her nail her interviews. She chose a position from the multiple offers extended to her and recently moved into her very own duplex where she, her daughter, and their furry friends now reside.

Transitioning from military to civilian life poses a significant risk of homelessness for Veterans.

California, with its abundance of military bases and temperate climate, is home to 31% of the nation’s unsheltered Veterans. Although Californians make up approximately 12% of the US population, they represent 31% of the country’s homeless Veteran population as of 2022.

In Orange County alone, around 130,000 Veterans face challenges such as:

• Difficulty securing employment
• Underemployment in low-paying, low-skilled jobs
• Limited opportunities for career growth and adequate provision for their families
• Similar challenges are also encountered by Veteran spouses reintegrating into civilian life.

Increased support and resources can significantly reduce the number of unhoused Veterans who have bravely served our country.

Join us in raising $100,000 as we celebrate Memorial Day with our May 22 virtual day-of-giving event: Operation Employment.

Create a fresh start for those navigating these daily obstacles to employment. Veterans and Servicemembers have developed incredible skills during their service and may simply not know how to transition them into civilian life. But we do. We are here to honor them with strength, support, and dignity.

It’s not too early to donate!

Your impact will be felt as the Working Wardrobes team offers a comprehensive, effective range of services to help empower our Veteran and Military clients and remove the barriers to gainful employment.

• Training and certifications
• Career coaching
• Individualized employment plans
• Critical needs gift cards
• Access to Veterans’ services
• Our personal touch, the “Success Suit”

Thank you for supporting those who served our country. For donation inquiries, email DevelopmentTeam@workingwardrobes.org.