{"id":19741,"date":"2023-05-05T15:42:14","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T19:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?p=19741"},"modified":"2023-05-05T15:42:14","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T19:42:14","slug":"orange-countys-community-action-division-creates-success-stories-throughout-the-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2023\/05\/orange-countys-community-action-division-creates-success-stories-throughout-the-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Orange County\u2019s Community Action Division Creates Success Stories Throughout the Region"},"content":{"rendered":"

May is National Community Action Month, and more than 1,000 community action agencies across the nation are working to make communities stronger and help families thrive. Locally, \u00a0Orange County\u2019s Community Action Division<\/a> oversees numerous social-service programs that empower low-income individuals and families towards economic stability.<\/p>\n

One of its many success stories is Daysesa Smith, who aspires to be a nurse so she can provide more financial security for her three small children and have the fulfilling career she has long desired.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want a career I can feel good about,\u201d said Smith, a single mother from New York who moved to Florida seeking a fresh start. \u201cI want a job that pays the bills and makes a difference, and I\u2019ve been putting my all into making that happen for myself and my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DaysesaSmith connected with the Community Action Division, and following a comprehensive needs assessment, she enrolled in the Family Self Sufficiency Program<\/a> (FSSP), an initiative designed to assist low-income individuals achieve steady employment and financial stability. FSSP provided Smith with a case manager, and she was trained in a range of employability and life-management skills, including money management, resume development and job interview preparation.<\/p>\n

With FSSP tuition assistance, Smith completed the clinical medical assistant program at Valencia College and earned certifications as a medical administrative assistant and clinical medical assistant. She now works as a clinical medical assistant at UCF Health and plans to return to school in the fall to pursue her degree in nursing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaysesa is doing the hard work to achieve her dreams,\u201d said Trellany White, acting division manager. \u201cWe take pride in empowering citizens to reach their goals and are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the FSSP, Smith took advantage of the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program<\/a> (LIHEAP), a national utility-bill assistance program that helps households manage heating and cooling costs. In 2022, the program delivered more than 12,400 utility payments to Orange County households.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunity Action\u2019s programs, resources and services work together to enhance the quality of life for Orange County residents like Daysesa Smith,\u201d said White. \u201cWe serve a noble mission that creates success stories throughout Central Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orange County Community Action is a division of the Community and Family Services Department. For more on Community Action Division programs and services, as well as its seven community centers<\/a>, go to ocfl.net\/CommunityAction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Photo Caption: <\/em><\/strong>Family Self Sufficiency program staff, Orange County Government Community Action Division <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

May is National Community Action Month, and more than 1,000 community action agencies across the nation are working to make communities stronger and help families thrive. Locally, \u00a0Orange County\u2019s Community Action Division oversees numerous social-service programs that empower low-income individuals and families towards economic stability. One of its many success stories is Daysesa Smith, who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":19742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[431,370,371,24,514,337],"class_list":["post-19741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-services","tag-community-action","tag-community-action-division","tag-community-action-month","tag-county-news","tag-orange-county-community-and-family-services-department","tag-orange-county-family-services"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOrange County\u2019s Community Action Division Creates Success Stories Throughout the Region<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2023\/05\/orange-countys-community-action-division-creates-success-stories-throughout-the-region\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Orange County\u2019s Community Action Division Creates Success Stories Throughout the Region\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"May is National Community Action Month, and more than 1,000 community action agencies across the nation are working to make communities stronger and help families thrive. 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