Jessica Martinez-Lopez had been working in the hospitality industry prior to COVID-19. Like many hotel workers, she was laid off in March 2020 and needed to find a new career path. A single mother, Jessica was also serving as the primary caregiver for her mother, who was undergoing cancer treatment. These realities made it essential for Jessica to find an industry with flexible opportunities.

With the goal of becoming a lawyer, Jessica was taking night classes at Gwinnett Technical College when an advisor shared information about Goodwill. She visited Goodwill’s Pleasant Hill Career Center in October 2021 and met with Case Manager Sokia Chenevert. Jessica investigated several options, ultimately enrolling in the phlebotomy program, which is offered in partnership with Gwinnett Tech and is funded through the generous support provided by the Anthem grant.

The program began in January 2022, and Jessica immediately distinguished herself by her active participation in the classes and her determination to achieve her goal. She worked through every obstacle she faced including the challenges of finding childcare for her infant son and lack of transportation following a car accident. Jessica is grateful for the constant support of her parents, who stepped in to help whenever needed.  When scheduling conflicts occurred, Jessica worked closely with her instructors to stay on track, completing all her assignments, and asking for extra credit as further evidence of her commitment to succeed. At 21 years old, she wanted to set an example for her son.

Jessica successfully completed her 80-hour externship at LifeHope Labs in Sandy Springs in mid-June. Her performance during this period was so exemplary that she was offered full-time employment as a traveling phlebotomist. She was honored to be selected as her cohort’s graduation speaker in recognition of perseverance and achievement.

When the time for the certification exam arrived, Jessica was understandably scared as she approached this final hurdle. Receiving the email with her results, she asked her cousin to read them to her. Upon learning she had passed, she cried happy tears, exclaiming, “I did this!” Reflecting on the experience, Jessica remarks that her success in phlebotomy comes as a bit of a surprise, given her lifelong fear of needles.

Jessica is thankful for the training Goodwill made possible at no cost to her. She has become an enthusiastic ambassador for the agency, as the financial realities of single parenthood would not have allowed her to pay for a program of this caliber. Her success has inspired her younger brother, a recent high school graduate, to investigate Goodwill’s welding program.

Invited to share her story with Goodwill’s Board of Directors in August 2022, Jessica reported that her mother is cancer-free, and noted that her educational experience allowed her to better understand medical terminology and help her mother in a more impactful way. She is enjoying her job and looking forward to the next steps in her career.