New Destiny’ success story for the month of September is an inspiration to us all. Volunteers are an important part of every family success center. Without their support and dedication, it is impossible to do the great work we do every day. September’s success story is dedicated to our English as a Second Language Instructor. When we think about retirement, we think of vacation days, down time to run errands, and house projects. For our ESL instructor, this was not the case! Ms. D worked at Eastside Highschool for 30 years in Paterson, NJ as a Spanish, and ESL teacher. After asking her why she volunteers at New Destiny FSC, she stated, “I worked for over 30 yrs. at Eastside High School in Paterson, NJ as a Spanish, and ESL Teacher. My long connection with the City of Paterson as an educator exposed me to the various needs of the community. After my retirement from the school system, I felt that I can still contribute using my experience to provide support to immigrants and other adults to acquire an important life skill like learning English. This led to me to apply as an ESL teacher volunteer at “New Destiny” organization. I felt aligned with the New Destiny’ vision of helping the community thrive. I have been volunteering for over 2 years and it has been a wonderful experience to be part of the organization. Thank you!” Sharing her testimonial is important for future volunteers. We cannot underestimate the power of sharing knowledge and skills to impact the community positively. Ms. D’s dedication to our community is appreciated by many community members, especially our immigrant population that may not have the financial means to afford English classes. As an FSC, our vision is to see families thrive and be connected to resources that can increase opportunities to have a better life. Learning to speak English opens doors to sources of income, and for parents to advocate for themselves, and their children. We are grateful to have volunteers like Ms. D. It shows that no matter how small or how big your contribution is, giving back to your community can leave a lasting impact, and open doors to new opportunities.
