Joan’s Story

Sometimes great opportunity comes in very unexpected ways and in unusual times. Joan moved to the Cape with her family nearly 20 years ago when she entered high school. She had held several jobs after high school but felt settled in at CVS where she had been for the past seven years. When COVID restrictions were put in place earlier this year, she was let go from her job with an unclear return date. Now in her early 30s, and with some health issues that can periodically mean missing work, she was pondering what to do as a career after this forced pause and the uncertainty of going back to her previous position.

She was aware of Lower Cape Outreach Council but had no idea the extent that they can help people change their lives. She had received a little help with rent and utilities once but was not knowledgeable about what other opportunities LCOC offered.

Gennie Moran, COO at the Council, reached out to Katie with the suggestion that she attend an online 14-week course to receive a paralegal certificate. LCOC would help pay for it and help buy a laptop to do the work as well. Katie was excited. “I love to do research and argue to get to the truth. This was so up my alley,” Katie enthused. “This came at the worst time for me, which turned out to best the best time. I had no idea that Lower Cape Outreach Council offered this kind of help. I knew they helped with food and household bills, but this provided a life-change that I would never had been able to afford,” she added.

The course consists of seven classes of two weeks each. Classes such as law basics, drafting legal documents, technology, real estate law and case research. But the class that got her most excited is genealogy research. At the end of the 14 weeks she can take the state exam to receive a certificate.
Joan said when she is done, she would like to have a fundraiser for LCOC to thank them for their help and provide funds for others. “I never felt any judgement or disappointment when I contacted the LCOC office. I left there feeling good and with a purpose and a plan. It makes me want to work even harder since I have been given this once in a lifetime chance that would never come around again,” Katie said.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” comes to mind. Lower Cape Outreach Council is committed to making a lifelong positive difference for people.

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