MILTON — Living alone on Social Security, unable to work due to health problems, could lead to several negative outcomes, but Shirley Forrest has not let that happen.
Forrest graduated two years ago from Santa Rosa County Bridges Out of Poverty’s third Getting Ahead class, and says with the help of her mentor, Jim Marcombe, she has a savings plan that enabled her to pay for a recent car repair.
The Idaho native described her situation as “floating” before finding the program. Now, she said, she’s learning she can “crawl out of poverty.”
BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT
Bridges’ Getting Ahead classes teach participants about various available resources, and guides them toward financial stability.
“One of the things that we hear from our Getting Ahead grads over and over again, as far as what they need to be self-sufficient and build resources, is support from others, support of others who are self-sufficient, who can say, ‘You can do it. I've done it myself,” Dr. Karen Barber, Bridges president, said.
Forrest said the class “pounded into your head (that) we are somebody.”
“You can help yourself out of just about anything,” she said. “A lot of the girls (in my class) did get a job.”
As for Forrest, the day after graduation, she painted a beach scene on her living room wall. “It made me feel I can accomplish anything,” she said.
Her church has since asked her to do some artistic painting. In addition, she has an iPad and says she wants to find a way to earn money online using it.
‘IT TAKES YOU OUTSIDE YOURSELF’
Marcombe, an 80-year-old retired airman and engineer who is a minister with Community of Christ Church in Milton, said he’s been with Santa Rosa County’s Bridges Out of Poverty since its 2011 inception.
Marcombe’s church gives away sack lunches on Fridays and he’s delivered them to not only his Getting Ahead mentee but also two of her neighbors.
“He’s been wonderful, not just to me,” Forrest said. “He loves to help.”
Marcombe said he enjoys mentoring because “it takes you outside yourself … By being a mentor, you realize how blessed you really are … I think a mentor should think of themselves as a person who is blessed and wants to be a blessing to others.”
PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Spending time with a mentee is crucial, Barber said.
“We appreciate donations but truly just a phone call or going for coffee once a month, touching base, is really priceless,” she said. “Most people have a full circle of family and friends they can turn to when they have hard times and decisions, and it never occurs to many of us that some people don't really have that benefit,” Barber said. “It’s just like when we think of transportation. Many people have no clue how many have no cars to get to work, school, the grocery store.”
The experience is mutually beneficial, she said.
“I feel like when I'm in somebody's balcony they're in mine too, as I encourage and give some words of advice,” Barber said.
“… Sometimes you’re just a sounding board, listening and encouraging, and in return we get the same thing from grads that we mentor.”
For more information on this rewarding opportunity and the mentorship application form contact Megan Fondren with Bridges Out of Poverty at 404-317-1573 or santarosabridges@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa County mentor program teaches poor residents self sufficiency