Amy's Story – A Journey Fueled by Opportunity, Mentorship, and Resilience
At just 16 years old, Amy was a teenager growing up in poverty and looking for a chance to change her future. When Crooksville High School announced a summer work opportunity through the Work+ Program, operated by HAPCAP and Perry County Job & Family Services, she signed up immediately.
That decision would change the course of her life.
Over the next few summers, teenage Amy worked in a variety of roles—but her favorite was at Goodwill. More than just a paycheck, the program gave Amy something she had never been exposed to at home: essential life skills. She learned how to open a bank account, write a resume, and budget her money—skills that many take for granted but were transformative for Amy.
“I had never seen full-time working adults in my family, and didn't have anyone who was capable of teaching me these skills outside of this program. HAPCAP gave me the tools I needed when no one else could.”
Amy’s story didn’t stop there. She went on to become a job coach herself, guiding other young people just like her. From 2017 to 2020, during her college years, she spent her summers investing back into her community—the same way someone once invested in her.
Thanks in part to her savings from those summer jobs, she was able to attend and live on campus at Muskingum University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. She later earned her Master’s in Social Work from Ohio University and is now a licensed social worker and mental health therapist—close to receiving her clinical license.
“Although I am far from wealthy, I don’t have to worry anymore about not having food or a place to sleep. That was not always the case. HAPCAP helped me build the life I have now.”
Amy is also proud to be the first person in her immediate family to graduate high school, the first to attend college, and the first to work full time without relying on public assistance. Her story is one of grit, hope, and the impact of community action done right.
And through every step, there was one constant: Jace Jackson, her job coach and later her supervisor, who helped guide her toward a career in social work.
“She still inspires me to this day. She was a guiding light who helped me get on the right path.”
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Amy's story is why Community Action exists. It is a reminder that investing in people pays off in ways that echo for generations. At HAPCAP we are proud to provide opportunities, for people like Amy who make the most of them and carry that light forward.