Becoming the best version of yourself
In some ways, the span of 11 months doesn’t seem like such a long time, but it can be life-changing in other ways. For one of JFS’s newest case managers, it has been an unexpected journey of self-discovery and becoming the best version of herself—and the journey is continuing in the very best of ways.
When you have a conversation with Chelsea, the first thing you may notice is that she radiates warmth and compassion. But, you’ll soon come to appreciate how open she is to sharing her story and find yourself in awe of how determined she is to use her experiences to help those in need.
Neither Chelsea nor her wife came from healthy family environments. They weren’t surrounded by the type of support systems that help shape strong life skills and promote emotional well-being, and they were stuck in a vicious cycle of generational poverty.
“A lot goes into ‘poverty,’ like practicing self-sabotage and struggling with imposter syndrome,” said Chelsea. “It shapes your views on everything. Chaos isn’t healthy, and it’s terrifying.”
Chelsea juggled college and work while raising her daughter and dealing with chronic mental and physical health challenges. She was suffering from PTSD and compounded grief from the traumatic deaths of family members. While working with Denver Human Services and participating in TANF, which is a program where income-qualified families receive temporary monthly cash assistance payments and help with emergency expenses, Chelsea was referred to JFS 11 months ago.
Chelsea and her wife worked closely with their JFS case worker, Amanda Dubon, and took several Abby’s Impact: Realizing Resilience classes. (Abby’s Impact is a client-centered, integrated program for young adults ages 14-26 that builds skills to facilitate resiliency and foster healthy minds. Learn more about the program.)
“These classes were game-changing,” shared Chelsea. “It’s so huge to have a sense of community—to learn, to offer perspectives, and to help each other. We were committed to doing the internal work, not perpetuating the trauma, and bettering ourselves. JFS became the family we didn’t have. They always treated us with dignity, celebrated small victories, and promoted a feeling of inclusion.”
One day, Chelsea happened to look at the JFS career page and noticed an opening for a case manager. She reached out to Jessica Mellars from Abby’s Impact to learn more and was encouraged to apply. “I hesitated for about a week,” said Chelsea, “and then when I brought it up to Amanda, like a mother bird, she gently pushed me out of the nest and encouraged me to fly.” After the interview process, Chelsea was offered the position, and in August, she became an official JFS employee. “The timing, the job post, and the interview, it was kismet,” said Chelsea.
Chelsea believes that because she has experienced the client side of needing help and dealing with the bureaucracy, she brings a unique mindset to her new position. “I feel excited, humbled, and grateful to be able to help the community I came from,” she said. “I have a new sense of purpose. I’m proud of myself and to be working at JFS. There’s humanity in everything we do. JFS is somewhere my heart has always been.”
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