CENTRE COUNTY — The Centre County Housing Authority will hold its Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Recognition Day and Graduation on Tuesday, Aug. 19, where four program graduates will be honored.
“In Centre County, transformation isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s steady that is built on quiet decisions made after long days of work and family commitments,” the Centre County Housing Authority said in a statement.
At the ceremony, Ashley Grant, Nadia Glushak, Leasia Parmelee-Brooks and Glenda Felciano will be recognized for completing the multi-year FSS Program while caring for their families and working. According to the Centre County Housing Authority, the stories of these folks reflect the unseen labor and are grounded in perseverance, making generational change possible.
“The FSS Program isn’t about quick fixes,” Maggie Bishop, FSS Program Coordinator, said. “It’s about real life. These participants worked, raised children and kept going. They chose to invest in themselves, even when the progress was gradual.”
For these graduates, the future is looking bright with one entering college to pursue “a spiritual calling,” another has relocated and is continuing her education through a master’s degree and the other graduates are continuing to work, balancing their family life and preparing for long-term financial independence.
“What unites them isn’t a single success story, it’s a shared decision to grow, even when the path isn’t easy,” the Centre County Housing Authority continued in its statement.
The FSS Program is open to adults receiving a Housing Choice Voucher and offers its participants individualized coaching, goal setting and access to resources in the community. Those involved in the program commit for several years as they develop plans around employment, education and financial goals. According to the Centre County Housing Authority, as the participants’ income increases, they get to build a savings account through a HUD-funded escrow, which will be received upon graduation from the program.
Bishop explained that many people who qualify for the FSS Program don’t realize it.
“If you have a Housing Choice Voucher and you’re working or willing to work, you already meet the criteria,” she said. “This program meets people where they are. Whether your goal is stability, savings or self-discovery, we’re here to walk with you.”
The graduation on Tuesday, Aug. 19, serves as a reminder that lasting change is possible when people have a support system around them and a community that uplifts them.
