As a single mother returning to the Crow Reservation, Leigh Ann found herself struggling to find employment. Thanks to the WoRC program, she is able to earn a living after gaining new jobs skills.
When Leigh Ann left the Crow Reservation, it was with her husband and family heading to a job and a better life in Utah. When she came back six years later, it was as a single parent of three looking for work.
One of the first places Leigh Ann visited when she returned was the HRDC office in Hardin. “I was just trying to get assistance when I came back (to the reservation). I had been away from home for a while and was living with my mother. They told me if you go to HRDC they will help you out and you can find out what you need.”
Leigh Ann got involved in the WoRC program, which helps people receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by placing them in local businesses where they can get the skills they need while also earning an income. To Leigh Ann’s delight, she was placed at Little Big Horn College. “I went to the interview and once I knew it was the college, I knew the opportunity was going to be great.”
Leigh Ann’s experience at the college was such a positive one, once her contract was up she enrolled as a student.
Leigh Ann now works at the Water Resource Department on the Crow Reservation. She credits HRDC for helping her get back into the workforce. “(HRDC) helped me become more established and has opened doors. It has helped me become more independent and filled all these little holes I had so I did not feel lost or incomplete.”
Leigh Ann says that she tells everyone she knows about her experience and the great programs at HRDC.
“There are a lot of single mothers that work, and the extra help (HRDC) provides makes a big difference. It makes me think if these people go out of their way to help me, I should go out of my way to help others.”
