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From Congo to California: How HealthWorks helped Niclette to restart her caregiving career
As a young woman growing up in the Republic of Congo, Niclette Massamba helped care for her elderly grandparents. In her home country, assisted living facilities are not common; and caring for aging family members is part of life. What began as responsibility soon became a calling. After moving with her family to Maryland, Niclette…
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From Caregiver to CNA: How HealthWorks helped Nicole Blackstone get certified
For more than a decade, Nicole Blackstone dedicated her life to caring for others. She provided hands-on support to family members, friends, and private clients, helping them eat, move safely, attend appointments, and maintain independence in their own homes. Caregiving wasn’t just work for Nicole; it was a calling. But despite her years of experience, one major barrier stood in her…
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JVS SoCal’s HealthWorks empowers single mother to build a future in healthcare
Before Karina Marroquin enrolled in JVS SoCal’s HealthWorks program, she was in the middle of one of the most demanding chapters of her life. A new mother, Karina had put her career on hold to care for her newborn, unsure of when, or how, she would be able to reenter the workforce. What she did know was that she wanted…
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Overcoming barriers: How Emely Ventura built a new career with JVS SoCal
For Emely Ventura, pursuing a career in healthcare was always a dream—but one that felt just out of reach. As a young woman balancing financial pressure, self-doubt, and uncertainty about her next steps, Emely faced barriers that made advancing her career feel overwhelming. She knew she wanted to help others, but without access to affordable…
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Helping others inspired Rosario Bejar to become a Certified Nursing Assistant
Having been raised by parents who lived with chronic health conditions, Rosario Bejar is no stranger to healthcare. As she watched her parents’ health fluctuate over the years, she became increasingly interested in matters of aging and disease. When her mother passed away, Rosario’s interest began to feel insufficient—she wanted to do something to carry through this knowledge. “I always wanted to be a nurse,” she…
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HealthWorks helps Ukrainian engineer start over in new career
When Nina Krachun arrived in Los Angeles with her husband and two teenage children, she faced the daunting task of starting over. Back in her home country, she had worked as an engineer—a respected profession that gave her purpose and stability. But in the United States, she found herself beginning again from the very first…
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This former custodian proves it’s never too late to become a Certified Nursing Assistant
You could say that nursing runs deep in Demetryce Johnson’s family. Her mother and older sister are both registered nurses. After working as a custodian in a Los Angeles County rehabilitation center for 19 years, she decided it was time to follow in their steps. “I was around nursing a lot,” says Demetryce, “It gave…
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From Hard Work to Heartfelt Care: Starr’s Journey to a New Beginning
Starr’s inspiring journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of community support. After years of physically demanding work at the post office, Starr decided to return to her true passion—healthcare—with the help of the JVS SoCal HealthWorks program. Starr’s path to JVS SoCal began unexpectedly. She had saved $3,000 to pay for…
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From overcoming burnout to embracing a new passion in human services through HealthWorks career training
A former communications specialist, Solomon Moon had reached a crossroads in their career. Burnt out by the inconsistency of past jobs and yearning for a more direct way to affect people’s lives, they stumbled upon JVS SoCal’s HealthWorks program while browsing the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles website. “I didn’t know how I was going…
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HealthWorks gave this single mother a new career
For Otilia Cruz perseverance is the most important trait in her life. An immigrant from Mexico, she moved to the United States when she was 19 years old. She attended school to learn English and worked three jobs to get by. For many years, Otilia worked as a housekeeper to raise her three children, she…
