Live and Learn Arizona Archives Page 6 of 7

Meet Our Board Members: Alverta McKenzie

gettingraphic On February 10, 2020 / Interviews, Live and Learn Arizona

Alverta McKenzie has dedicated her life to helping children and families. She has become an expert in the field and spent her career mentoring others to succeed in the same field. Alverta has worked in the field of Children and Family services as a teacher and a professional. She has devoted her life’s work to bolstering the field of Children and Family Studies, bettering the foundation of our community and making the world a better place for the next generation. Early Life and First Career Alverta is originally from New Haven, Connecticut, where she spent time in the foster care

Give Turkey & Give Thanks

gettingraphic On January 21, 2020 / Live and Learn Arizona, News & Events

This Thanksgiving was truly a season of giving and gratitude at Live & Learn! We hosted our first turkey drive. Generous donors provided turkey, side dishes, and desserts to women who could not afford to put a feast on their own table. Donors were so kind and generous. They went above and beyond to make the holiday special for hardworking women and their families. There were beautiful homemade desserts. Some donors delivered directly to the homes of women who lack reliable transportation. Other women came to our office to pick up their dinners and meet their donors. One woman took

Homeless Court Forgives Those Trying to Do Better

gettingraphic On January 20, 2020 / Discussing the Issues, Interviews, Live and Learn Arizona, Success Stories

As a teenager, Elizabeth and her mother did not have the greatest relationship. At the early age of 17 years old, Elizabeth was no longer welcomed into her mother’s home. She had no choice but to find somewhere else to live. Along the way, Elizabeth face obstacles and make choices that would affect her life negatively down the road, one of them being dropping out of high school. In her mid 20s, Elizabeth decided to turn her life around and began making positive changes as she is now a single mother of two. At the age of 25, she began

Yoga & Wine for a Cause

gettingraphic On January 10, 2020 / Live and Learn Arizona, News & Events

In October, Live & Learn hosted our first Yoga & Wine for a Cause. We hoped it would be an opportunity to build our community and raise awareness about our mission. It turned out to be just that: a relaxing evening with old friends and newcomers sharing a love for yoga, wine, and our Phoenix-community – though maybe not in that order. This was an exciting evening for me. I am a yoga instructor at Pranayamamama Yoga, LLC, and I am an employee of Live & Learn. For this event, I got to bring two of my passions together: yoga

Paying it Forward – The Warm Hearts of Arizonans

gettingraphic On December 16, 2019 / Live and Learn Arizona, News & Events

On November 14, Live & Learn held Give Hope in 2020, our first Happy Hour Fundraiser. The goal of the evening was to raise awareness of Live & Learn’s program and the need in our community, as well as to raise money to help us reach 200 women in 2020. As guests arrived, it was a beautiful autumn evening on the patio of Beckett’s Table. The evening began with a welcome from Live & Learn’s Executive Director Kristin Chatsworth. Board Member Genevieve Dombrowski introduced past Live & Learn clients who shared inspiring stories of their experiences with Live & Learn.

Larry H. Miller Dealerships Gives Hope in 2020 through Larry H. Miller Charities

gettingraphic On December 12, 2019 / Community Champions, Live and Learn Arizona

Larry H. Miller Dealerships, via their charitable organization Larry H. Miller Charities, has generously granted $10,000 to Live & Learn to support women in our Economic Empowerment Program. These funds will provide Supplemental Support and our Mentoring Program for the 200 women we will serve in 2020. Supplemental Support and Mentoring are crucial aspects of our program that can easily be the difference between success or failure. Supplemental Support is needs-based assistance that can help women cover the cost of things such as uniforms, bus passes, or basic school supplies. Often, these are small costs that can derail a woman

Reflections from a Client Coordinator: Part 2

gettingraphic On August 5, 2019 / Discussing the Issues, Interviews, Live and Learn Arizona

Ruby Cervantes joined Live & Learn as a Client Coordinator in spring 2017. During her two-and-a-half years with Live & Learn, Ruby helped over 200 women journey out of poverty. This is the second part of an interview Ruby gave just before she left Live & Learn in July 2019. What was your biggest challenge during your time at Live & Learn? The biggest challenge has really come towards the end of my time here. We’re seeing community funding get tighter, not just for Live & Learn but for everyone. In the past year, I’m seeing community partners less able

Reflections from a Client Coordinator: Part 1

gettingraphic On July 30, 2019 / Discussing the Issues, Interviews, Live and Learn Arizona

Ruby Cervantes joined Live & Learn as a Client Coordinator in spring 2017. During her two-and-a-half years with Live & Learn, Ruby helped over 200 women journey out of poverty. Just before leaving in July 2019, Ruby shared her reflections on her time at Live & Learn, the struggles faced by women in our community, and the lessons she will be taking with her. How did you first get involved with Live & Learn, and what drew you to the organization? I worked as a Family Support Specialist at Southwest Human Development, and I would meet with the families to

Summer Water Relief for Women and Children

gettingraphic On July 1, 2019 / Discussing the Issues, Live and Learn Arizona, News & Events

Arizona Public Service employees donated 400 water bottles in June 2019! This summer, under the AZ sun, over 100 Live & Learn women will be walking and taking buses each day to get to work and school. Women like Angelica. Angelica is a single mother of two who works full-time and goes to school. She cannot afford a car and uses public transportation to get herself and her children around the city. Every week, she spends approximately 13.5 hours walking, riding the bus, or waiting at a bus stop. Even in the summer, when temperatures rise above 100 degrees daily,

TOTAL: A Pathway to Success!

gettingraphic On March 21, 2019 / Live and Learn Arizona, News & Events

In January 2019, we welcomed our fourth cohort of clients into our innovative TOTAL Career Pathway. Live and Learn developed TOTAL in 2017, to prepare and support low-income women for technology careers in the Phoenix area. It is crucial that our clients follow education and career paths in fields with high-employment demand that offer a livable wage, and the tech industry is exactly that. TOTAL is an intense journey, and the success of our clients in this program has been truly inspiring. >>Read about one woman’s journey here. Why the Tech Industry? The Phoenix-metro area is the 3rd fastest-growing tech

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