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STRIVE's Hidden Heroes of the Frontline: Erika

At STRIVE, no matter where in life a person is when they walk through our doors, they leave with the skills and confidence necessary to excel in careers that make them essential to their communities. 

We’ve seen many of our students and graduates heroically helping protect their communities during this pandemic. STRIVE is honored to share their untold stories of what it’s like to be a hidden hero of the frontline.

This week we are celebrating STRIVE graduate Erika, a safety administrator for Monadnock Construction, which builds affordable housing in NYC. Erika was unemployed for a year and needed to make a change. She signed up for our construction cohort, and now has a thriving career as an essential worker.

Every day, Erika visits 3 to 4 construction sites and makes sure the workers are following safety guidelines, including those protecting all workers from COVID-19. Grateful to have a job, Erika describes what it's like to be a frontline worker during the pandemic in this video: 

 
 

We support Erika and the countless STRIVE hidden heroes working in our communities nationwide. Thank you for believing in STRIVE. Your donations continue to prepare those who face the biggest obstacles to employment for new, life-changing careers, even in these difficult times.

STRIVE is proud to partner with Urban Strategies for their work with Monadnock Construction.

STRIVE's Hidden Heroes of the Frontline: Che

Heroes can come from anywhere.

At STRIVE, we’ve seen many of our graduates protect their communities during this pandemic. We’re more proud of them than ever, and we're determined to give their heroism the spotlight it deserves with firsthand stories of resilience, grit, and hope. 

This week we are celebrating Che, a STRIVE graduate working in building maintenance at a women’s homeless shelter. Every day, while most of us stay home, Che does the essential work of ensuring safety and protection from COVID-19 at the shelter, harnessing the teamwork and job skills he learned at STRIVE to truly save lives. Watch his video of what it's like to go to work on the frontline:

 
 

STRIVE is honored to be a part of so many hidden heroes’ stories, helping those historically left behind by America’s job market find and maintain stable, fulfilling careers. In these trying times, more than ever, we're especially grateful to our generous donors who help us change lives, helping even more people become the heroes they’re meant to be.

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