Everyone loved me through this.
She applied for jobs for which she was vastly over-educated.
―I was a breakfast hostess at an extended-stay hotel. I had no
waitressing or hostessing experience other than hosting parties
and family gatherings. It was like a Lucy Show with all the
waffle batter spilling. If the eggs weren‘t perfect they had to be
thrown out. I was horrible at it! I remember dropping the mop
water one day. I came back [to Our House] in tears and went
to my case manager thinking, ‗I was right, I am worthless.‘‖
Sharon‘s case manager was Justin Sanders, now the Family
Housing Manager at Our House. Justin told Sharon about a
job trainee position open in Little Learners. Job trainees like
Sharon learn useful job skills while they work and live here at
Our House. Sharon worked there for 20 months. Within one
year she‘d saved over $2,000, enough to get a new motor for
her vehicle. ―I had to start saving all over again once I got that
motor, but it was worth it. And everyone here just loved me
through this whole experience.‖
Shugie’s
Within 6 months of living here, Sharon was already looking
for ways to give back. The idea turned into reality when she
started selling her Shugie‘s at Hestand‘s in the Heights. Sharon
used her ex-husband‘s grandmother‘s recipe to make the sugarcoated cookies that were a huge hit around the holidays. ―It‘s
something I made all my life for my family and for parties and
gave as gifts. Hestand‘s was shocked at how fast they sold.‖
Sharon gives a portion of those earnings to Our House each
month. Sharon was inspired by the support she saw from the
Little Rock community. She decided to serve others who might
arrive at Our House, weary, tired, and in need of support. ―I
take nothing for granted.‖
continued on page 10
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