Kenisha and her daughter modeled at a CAC Fashion Show & Sale.

It's not always the emergency assistance itself, but sometimes more importantly the support system that CAC provides to our neighbors in times of need that means more to them. Kenisha was a college-educated, single mother of a 10-month-old baby when she was laid off from her job of 4 years. She went to CAC for utility bill assistance, but found much more. Kenisha says CAC helped her to keep going in the face of unemployment and the arduous job search. The volunteers and staff were supportive. Meeting other clients let her know she wasn't alone. CAC also gave her food and holiday gifts for her baby, although she found it difficult to accept such help. She took free adult education classes, from which she learned new skills for her resume, but which also kept her industrious. "I had never been helped like that before, the ways that CAC can help people is unbelievable," she said. She credits Quick Books skills learned at CAC for helping her to find new employment as an accounts analyst. Soon after returning to the workforce Kenisha also returned to CAC. To help others as an adult education teacher, but also, to stay involved with the supportive CAC family that helped her through a difficult time in her life. "Now I send people to CAC, I tell them they if they need help they have to go to CAC."