A Community Leader – Maryvette’s American Dream
Following several strokes, Maryvette was unable to work and became eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. Maryvette’s recovery included learning how to walk, write and speak again. She says, “I wasn’t the type of person used to needing help, I was the one that took care of others. I was determined to get back to myself or better.” As Maryvette regained these functions, she recognized the need to increase her income and improve her financial situation. “I couldn’t live on the income from Social Security,” she shares.
Maryvette began exploring employment opportunities and obtained a temporary position. After a referral from her American Job Center case manager, Maryvette assigned her Ticket to Work with Barbara Green at Workforce Alliance. Workforce Alliance, located in Connecticut, is one of over 60 Members of the American Dream Employment Network, also referred to as ADEN.
ADEN is an approved Employment Network of Social Security’s Ticket to Work program. ADEN supports individuals like Maryvette who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and want to return to work. Although Maryvette was already employed, services through the Ticket to Work program are still valuable. For example, Barbara supported Maryvette in her efforts for career advancement by updating her resume, notifying her of applicable job openings and informing her of hiring events.
Maryvette’s temporary position was as a Rental Assistant Specialist, helping people in the community with their housing expenses through the government funded UniteCT. In 2022, when the funding for this position ended, The Women and Family Center director created the Outreach Engagement Specialist position to keep Maryvette onboard as she had proved to be a fierce advocate for her community. Maryvette not only helped identify how to help more people, but she also added the much-needed coordination and management of creating a waiting list for the employment training programs and services to her duties.
In addition to serving the community in her work, Maryvette worked to connect churches in the area with programs and services available to expand outreach. In October 2023, Maryvette was recognized by the Midstate Chamber of Commerce and its Hispanic Heritage Breakfast for the Hispanic Leaders in Action with a nomination for the Shining Star Award regarding her work in the community. Maryvette has become an important figure in her community and continues to make connections, including making suggestions to local elected officials about topics that impact the community. As Maryvette continues to grow in this field, so, too, does her American Dream of starting her own nonprofit organization one day.
Barbara says, “Maryvette went from an administrative job to proving herself as a community leader. It has been an honor to provide guidance to Maryvette regularly over the past four plus years and I believe that providing her with consistent ongoing employment support has helped to support her career aspirations.”
Gainful employment is the goal of the Ticket to Work program. Due to Maryvette’s earnings, and with the guidance from Barbara who is a Certified Work Incentive Practitioner (CWIP), Maryvette successfully worked her way off her Social Security benefits. Every ADEN Member has a CWIP on staff, meaning they provide information on how wages can impact benefits and health insurance. CWIPs are also knowledgeable on available SSA Work Incentives that may be available to you. Today, Maryvette earns 45 percent more than what she was getting from SSDI alone.
If you are between the ages of 18-64, receive SSDI or SSI and are ready to return to work, ADEN is here to support you. When you assign your Ticket to one of ADEN’s Members, you can expect to receive exceptional services to help you achieve your employment goals and, ultimately, your American Dream. Visit the ADEN website to find a Member near you who can provide free employment services like career counseling, job search and placement services, financial wellness strategies and long-term employment support.
Workforce Alliance, is a workforce development board which oversees the operations of the American Job Centers located in New Haven, Meriden and Middletown, CT. Workforce Alliance joined ADEN in 2017. Maryvette is Workforce Alliance’s third graduate of the Ticket to Work program. Graduating from Ticket to Work means the Ticket to Work Participant has had gainful employment and not received a cash benefit for three to five years.
