The Vital Role Success Coaches Play at Rainbow Village
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
According to the International Federation of Social Workers, social workers “work in communities with people finding positive ways forward in the challenges they face in their lives.” At Rainbow Village, we call them Success Coaches. During the month of March – which marks National Social Workers Month – we want to celebrate our Success Coaches and shine the spotlight on the vital role they play with the families we serve.
When families arrive at our doorstep, having recently suffered the trauma of homelessness, hope is often in short supply. Through their work with our Success Coaches, they are once again able to see the hope inside. During their time in our ASPIRE residency program, families are assigned to one of our three coaches, who will then guide them as they embark with confidence on their individual journey to self-sufficiency – assisting them in setting goals, eliminating obstacles, and holding them accountable. The end goal is for each family to graduate from the program successfully within two years, well-prepared to thrive beyond our Village.
Our Success Coaches strive not to work for our families but rather with our families. During weekly sessions, they genuinely listen to the personalized needs of our residents and lead them back to a place of wholeness. Understanding that the paths that lead to experiencing homelessness vary greatly, their focus lies in the journey that our residents are taking from Rainbow Village forward. Success in the ASPIRE program is measured by the positive growth residents make toward stability in five key areas: Family Stability, Well-Being, Financial Management, Education & Training, and Employment & Career.
Meet The Team…
China Bland
Having experienced the struggles of being a widow, single mom, homeless, and divorced firsthand, China finds commonalities with our families and uses her testimonies to encourage others that they can make it, too. She loves working with women who have been down on their luck, oppressed, incarcerated, and homeless, and she specializes in identifying and resolving life crises. She realizes that every person has strengths and, at times, needs additional resources and skills to get them back on track to the life God intended for them. Her Person-Centered Approach meets the individual and family where they are. China encourages the families she serves to identify and stick to their goals to positively impact their lives.
“China’s unwavering dedication to my success in the program was truly instrumental. She consistently checked on my spending habits, credit usage, and, most importantly, the well-being of myself and my children. Her thoroughness and commitment did not go unnoticed, and I am immensely grateful for her efforts.” ~ Rainbow Village Graduate, Adrian K.
“[China] opened my mind & eyes to the ooops aspect of life, taking my success coach talks & 1 on 1’s into consideration to be a better me and use it to continue to get ahead and never fail my kid again. The most motivation in all this is knowing this too shall pass with reassurance from an amazing success coach, and let’s not forget implementing God’s promise! Very much grateful.” ~ Rainbow Village Graduate, Alexis C.
“Ms. China has been much more than a Success Coach for me and my children. She’s been our biggest encourager! Always there to motivate, uplift, inspire, and advocate on my behalf. She’s prompt and professional, all while showing empathy and compassion. She’s become a big role model for me. Thankful to have fallen into her hands!” ~ Rainbow Village Resident, Annetra A.
Anika Crosby
Anika worked in Human Services for 15 years before finding her way to Rainbow Village. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Mississippi and recently received her master’s degree in Non-profit management and leadership at Walden University. Anika regularly leverages her wealth of experience in working with homeless, domestic violence, and at-risk populations to connect and build trust with the families she serves. As a family-oriented mom of two, she understands that obtaining affordable housing is essential to family harmony and self-sufficiency. Her upbringing instilled in her the belief that a stable home environment is paramount to the development and growth of the youth.
“Anika THANKS ! Omg you really just started working there and omg you been on it .. You really help me out with everything like school/ child support and so on. I would call you on the phone and ask you how I do something and you’ll be like come to my office and l’ll help you, and I truly appreciate it. I needed another strong person like Mrs. Jennifer and you was the perfect person.” ~ Rainbow Village Graduate, Lexus B.
“I personally would like to say thank you for not just considering your career as a job but actually being genuine and caring about what you do! There were times when you were stern and stood on business, but that allowed both my husband and I to continue to build for our family.
You weren’t just a caseworker; you were also my mental support during my breast cancer journey last year along with the Rainbow Village team and words cannot explain how thankful and blessed I was to have walked thru the hardest part of my journey with you!
Although I know I called you every other day, you always picked up and if there was something I needed assistance with you made sure to ask before giving me answers and the truth!
Whomever else gets you as a caseworker will be in great hands! You’re one of the best and top-tier in our eyes! Thank you again!!!!! Congratulations on your achievement! Forever and always your favorite family! The T Gang” ~ Rainbow Village Graduate, Jennifer T.
Latoya McLennon
Armed with a master’s degree in social work from Walden University, Latoya served 13 years in the social work sector – from mental health and developmental disabilities to at-risk youth and families experiencing homelessness – before bringing her talents to Rainbow Village. She loves to give back to the community, and being able to put a smile on her client’s face means the world to her. Helping families achieve their goals to become economically self-sufficient and secure permanent housing is incredibly rewarding for Latoya. She believes that without stable housing, families will continue to struggle to put the broken pieces of their lives together. She wants to see every family she serves thrive.
“When I think of a Success Coach, I immediately think of a Coach of Physical Fitness, someone pushing you to reach your weight loss and or health fitness goals. Someone constantly in your ear reaffirming, “you can do it!” in order to get you to your expected results.
Coach McLennon has assisted my family and me with navigating the often-complex paths to the Aspire program. Welcoming new transitions all while setting realistic and effective goals. She creates a safe space for me to share the most intimate parts of my life with no judgment.
I will be exiting the program in 2024; however, with the guidance and support from my success coach, I have accomplished so much.
– Re-enroll my kids into CAPS
– Increase my credit score by paying off outstanding debt
– Started Savings Account with an accumulating balance of $10k
– Provide Christmas gifts and clothing for my children
– Assisted with finding housing beyond Rainbow Village
– Supported my family and me during my medical procedure
Just to name a few. I am so very blessed to have someone who goes above and beyond what is required. Thank you, Coach Toya!” ~ Rainbow Village Resident, Demi D.
“I really appreciate my success coach, Latoya, because she goes above and beyond for me and my family. She always keeps us on our toes and makes sure that we do everything that we’re supposed to do to strive in this program. She also makes sure that we have the resources to strive to become better people. I know it’s her job, but I really feel the love, and appreciate everything that she does. I know our time is coming to an end, and she will truly be missed.” ~ Rainbow Village Resident, Asia C.
“Miss Toya is pretty amazing! She is very encouraging and supportive. She listens very well, and I love that she is just as excited about me achieving my goals as I am. She has helped me a lot, and I am grateful to have her as a success coach.” ~ Rainbow Village Outreach Client, Brina B.
CLICK HERE to meet the rest of the Rainbow Village team!
To learn more about Rainbow Village and our work to transform the lives of families experiencing homelessness by providing help, hope, housing, and healing, visit www.RainbowVillage.org.
Source: What is Social Work? – International Federation of Social Workers (ifsw.org)
