Alayya Arrison

Do you know your local living wage? At StepUp Wilmington, we urge employers in New Hanover County and beyond to support their employees by offering a living wage. A living wage is the hourly pay that is needed to support a single person or a family’s annual expenses like food, daycare, housing and more.

The living wage in New Hanover County, according to the Living Wage Calculator by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is about $12.32 for a single adult. This number nearly triples to $29.28 for a five-person family or single parent household. The calculator confirms that employers may be unaware that they are providing wages that equate to the poverty line or below, thus making it difficult for their employees to rise above their challenges, regardless of being employed.

StepUp Wilmington aims to educate others and diminish the poverty occurring in our community. If you or someone you know is an employer that is interested in joining our initiative to promote living wages for our neighbors, contact Ally (ally@stepupwilmington.org).

For more information on your local living wage, visit http://livingwage.mit.edu/.

Welcome Andrew Cooke to StepUp’s Board of Directors!

Andrew began his journey with StepUp Wilmington in 2016 when current Board Member, Michael McWhorter, asked him to volunteer as a co-partner at StepUp’s life skills program, Step2. Here, Andrew has helped to facilitate financial literacy classes during Phase Two for the past few years, where he has developed a strong passion for the organization, stating, “The work StepUp does matters and makes an impact.”

In describing what inspires him most about SUW, he explains, “Participating in Life Skills is a great experience.  Everyone is a family during these Wednesday evenings – from dinner, to a prayer to start the session, to participants and volunteers mentioning something they are happy about since the last week, to discussing topics that help both participants and volunteers grow.  It’s a special thing.”

During his tenure, Andrew is most looking forward to helping the organization grow and continuing to make a positive difference in the community and people’s lives. “It all goes back to the Bible – Give a man a fish and he eats for a day but teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

Two years ago, Tara’s life changed in an instant. Pulling down a 125lb gate at work, she turned her head, heard a pop, and felt the worst pain of her life. That pop led to three herniated discs, nerve damage and a two-level cervical fusion.

“I was so happy when my doctor told me I could go back to work,” Tara says. “But I didn’t know where to start.” That’s where StepUp Wilmington came in: “I learned how to interview, how to be honest about some of the questions, such as physical limitations. I have a 20lb weight restriction. I’m not supposed to climb a ladder. I thought it was going to be a huge deal, but it’s not.”

Land Rover didn’t see limitations when they met Tara. They saw work ethic and drive. Last week, she was hired as a Service Advisor: “A lot of their customer base is female. I look forward to empowering women with the knowledge of how their vehicle works. Because it’s more than transportation. It’s freedom.”

What does the job mean to Tara? “This is the start of things looking up. I’m not defined by my injury anymore. I’m ready to start living my life again, to take care of myself and my family. My daughter is a junior in high school, and now I can support her as she enters this next phase of her life.”

“Just because something happens, it doesn’t dictate the rest of your life.”

If you or someone you know is looking for employment or a better job, give us a call at (910)343-8469.

Gabriel gave StepUp Wilmington a chance on a referral last fall when Hurricane Florence cost him his job. During Jobs Week, he stuck out to staff members because of his positive attitude and desire to make an impact on the youth in his community.

“The [Jobs Week] program was great. Very informative, therapeutic and useful. I enjoyed the process and was guided in the right direction towards success.”

He is now a program assistant at the local Boys & Girls Club, working to mentor kids that remind him much of himself at a young age. He says he loves his job and “wouldn’t have things any other way”.

In thinking of what he would say to those considering going to StepUp for help with their job search, Gabriel claimed, “Jobs Week is an excellent experience which teaches those facing tough job situations how to market themselves and think positively. The staff cares about each participant’s success and growth…I graduated the program with a renewed sense of self, a better knowledge of my true abilities and my direction in life.” d0

StepUp Wilmington works with over 100 employer partners who are an integral part of our process. These local businesses in our community work with our organization to train and hire SUW participants who have completed Jobs Week and are ready to get back to work.

One such partner, Verizon Wireless, recently hired two outstanding Jobs Week Graduates, Kamisha and Cathy, who are currently training to become Customer Care Specialists.

“I came to StepUp after being unemployed at 59 — being laid off two jobs in two years. My unemployment had run out and I was desperate to find a good job with benefits,” says Cathy. “I applied to Verizon before but with the help of StepUp, I finally landed a position. I am in my 6^th week of training and I’ve never been happier.”

Dennis Brownlee, a recruiter in talent acquisition at Verizon, shared, “Verizon’s main objective is to hire qualified personnel to take tremendous care of our customers regarding their telecommunications needs. StepUp enables us to still search for the same qualified talent pool, however the difference from a preparatory point of view is outmatched.”

The corporation has partnered with StepUp Wilmington for over 5 years and has hired quite a few of SUW’s talent.

Brownlee continued, “Verizon supports StepUp Wilmington’s initiative because the purpose is a lot larger than us. This boils down to members of our own community who are looking to get back into the workforce either from being underemployed or even at a tough point in life, the same people who may have a family to support or people that rely on them.”

Kamisha mentioned that the training is “challenging but I enjoy it and it’s a great company to work for.”

Thank you, Verizon!

Looking for employees? Our talent pool is unbeatable. If you’re interested in becoming an employer partner with StepUp Wilmington, reach out to Ally (ally@stepupwilmington.org).

Meet Meghan Cowan: our new addition to StepUp Wilmington’s Board of Directors. As a graduate of UNCW and her 8+ year career at Live Oak Bank, her roots were set in our community long ago.

“I was drawn to StepUp’s mission because of its direct impact on the city of Wilmington and the people who live here. There is a deep sense of purpose derived from meaningful work…The mission is personal as I’ve witnessed my own father struggle with unemployment for years and experienced the reverberating effects.”

Since beginning her tenure, Meghan has been involved with the creation of StepUp’s Board of Young Professionals where she acts as the “board liaison” and the implementation of the 10,000 Lives campaign, our biggest initiative to date.

“I am most excited about the 10,000 Lives campaign and helping drive change in our community by equipping participants with the tools necessary to secure employment and achieve financial stability. From a financial perspective, StepUp’s numbers are particularly exciting and compelling. One job impacts ten lives and every dollar contributed is quadrupled in social return.”

When asked about what she is most looking forward to during this new venture, she said, “StepUp participants experience real life change. Becoming a board member was about legacy building, as StepUp is helping participants build their own legacies and redefine their futures. I am honored to bare witness to their stories and contribute my time and money to the organization supporting them.”

StepUp Wilmington works to break barriers of employment, one of them being age. Magnolia defeated society’s odds by getting a job she loves at the age of 91 years old.

When Magnolia met Bennett at the New Hanover County Disaster Recovery Center, she was pretty upfront: “I’m too old to get back to work. I’m soon to be 91 years old!”

But when Bennett followed up a week later, Magnolia decided to give us a chance, becoming StepUp Wilmington’s oldest participant to date.

You see, she had her own childcare business for 27 years, and when she sold it, she stayed on for 20 years as an administrative assistant. “The business closed 3 years ago,” Magnolia says. “I was too embarrassed to go looking for a job, but I didn’t want to just stay at home.”

Since she’d always been self-employed, Magnolia didn’t know how to create a resume or how to prepare for an interview. She learned all of these skills at Jobs Week. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the elevator at the Harrelson Center was out, but her dedication brought her up and down four flights of stairs every day.

Now, Magnolia works for the YWCA, assisting teachers with students in need: “Children just want to be heard and loved. It’s so rewarding to be able to provide that.” In addition to her job, she also volunteers at nursing homes and the food bank.

Magnolia turned 91 in January. When asked how long she’d like to continue at her job, she said, “As long as God gives me my mind and my body, I want to be working.”

Hurricane Florence’s aftermath resulted in thousands of North Carolina residents being displaced from their homes. This sudden change of address or living situation does not, and should not, prevent a citizen from expressing their right to vote. Those who find themselves in this type of situation have three options this voting season. They include submitting an absentee ballot if you are temporarily removed, early voting in your home county if it is safe to return and registering to vote at your new address if you do not plan to return.

Submitting an Absentee Ballot

Any voter can request an absentee ballot by submitting an absentee ballot request form in-person or by mail, fax or email to their county’s Board of Elections by 5pm on October 30, 2018. The completed absentee ballot and return-container envelope must be signed by two witnesses over the age of 18 or a notary and must be postmarked or delivered in person by 5pm on election day, November 6, 2018.

The absentee ballot request form can be found here: http://bit.ly/NCAbsentee

Early Voting

Voters can vote at any early voting location in their county from October 17 to November 3.

Early voting locations and hours can be found here: http://bit.ly/NCRegistration

Register at New Address

Since the October 12^th deadline has passed for registration applications, voters can register during the early-voting period using same day registration by bringing proof of residence such as a utility bill, bank statement or any utility document.

If you are still unsure of which option best applies to your situation, please contact the Southern Coalition for Social Justice at (919)321-1848.