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Margit Altstadt had been working in the department of health in Champaign, Illinois for several years until she was laid off at the age of 62. “It was hard to find a job at that age,” she said, but that…

Steve Deon worked as a supervisor for two residential buildings in Minnesota, overseeing the maintenance and cleaning staff. He enjoyed his work, but when he was diagnosed with cancer, he moved to Illinois to be closer to family. “I had…

Liz Combs had always worked in factories. But when the economy crashed in the 2008 financial crisis she was forced to look elsewhere for employment. She bounced around a few jobs – working for Toyota and the 2010 census –…

Margaret Feret is a survivor. During the 27 years she worked as a clinical care nursing technician she also raised her four children. When two of her sons enlisted in the military and went on to take part in the…

Sheree Hamilton decided to reinvent herself at the age of 67. Her life was full of experience. Originally from Houston, Texas but raised in East St. Louis, she had a diverse upbringing which helped her fit right in when she…

LaCrystal Brown owned her own cleaning business for 25 years, and although she appreciated the opportunities and challenges owning a business had brought, she felt that it was time for a career change. “I hadn’t been in an office in…

Robin Tilley, a 71-year-old widow, was unemployed but she refused to stay home. “You sit at home, you die. I’m not doing this. I’m going to do something,” says Robin. She reached out to National Able Network in Iowa and…

Gail Allen Scott is a woman who lives every day with passion and fearlessness. She started her career in healthcare and continued in the field for over 25 years. Unfortunately, she dealt with a work-related injury that tried to derail…

Glenda Harris had worked as a missionary for the majority of her career which allowed her to travel. Her last trip was working in disaster relief in Turkey for about 18 months before returning to the United States. Since her…

Sharon Smith is like an oasis in the desert for individuals in need of personal and professional assistance in DuPage County, Illinois. In 2011, Sharon moved from a desert (Arizona) to Chicago to take care of her mother. She was…