Women to Work program reaches thousands
Southfield resident Tracey Overstreet, 69, enrolled in the Women to Work program at Gesher Human Services last fall, looking for a fresh start after retiring from Chrysler and then holding positions at a glass factory and as a nanny for the past 11 years.
“She inspired me. She gave me that want to go. I didn’t want to miss one class,” Overstreet said of Judy Richmond, who has been the Women to Work coordinator at Gesher Human Services for around 15 years.
The Women to Work program is a free monthlong series that meets twice a week for eight sessions, offered in the winter, spring and fall at Gesher Human Services, 29699 Southfield Road. It has been around since the 1980s, originally as the “Displaced Homemakers” program. Women to Work aims to provide metro Detroit women with the skill set and confidence to secure the right job no matter their circumstances. Whether a life-changing event such as a divorce or death has occurred or a gap in a resume, Women to Work strives to create an encouraging environment and community-like atmosphere in the classroom.