Independence T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R.
Community Clean-Up Day
Together Opportunities Grow Everyone To Help Empower Resiliency
On Saturday, April 20, CSL gathered community members for a Community Clean Up Day, presented by Stewardship Capital. This event celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Independence T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R. program. This program focuses on assisting residents who are experiencing unstable housing and community beautification. Since March 2023, our crew members have been working daily to clean-up our community.
Independence residents honked and waived as they drove past our volunteers all morning! We had 171 volunteers signed up to celebrate the anniversary of Independence T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R. and help beautify our community. With their hard work, they collected 2,125 pounds of trash along Noland Road in Independence from 35th Street to 40 Highway. We look forward to making this an annual tradition and hope to have more volunteers join us for years to come!
Thank you to our sponsors for supporting CSL and the community:
Stewardship Capital, Corporate Copy Print, and Speaks Chapels
Presenting Sponsor
Eco-Hero Sponsors
Marquita “Q” James
Q came to CSL seeking rental assistance, in fear of losing her housing and becoming homeless for the second time in her life. She was sharing a one bedroom apartment with several family members and felt stuck and unsure of how to gain independence.
Q struggled to keep jobs due to her lack of job history, longevity, and experiences. In April 2023, she began working for the Independence T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R program. “CSL had trust in me and wanted to see me better myself and make a comeback” she says.
Through this program, Q obtained employment, received a daily paycheck, opened her first bank account, and moved into an apartment. In November 2023, she enrolled and began in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program through CSL’s WorkLife Center. Q was connected to the training institution and provided a scholarship for her tuition. She was assigned a dedicated Career Development Coach who provided CSL’s wraparound services, including transportation, food and nutrition, and uniform necessities. Within three months, she completed the CNA program, passed her required exams, and gained employment as a CNA at a hospital!
“I didn’t see myself going back to school for anything! Going back is something I am still shocked about. This gave me the chance to really turn myself around and get set up for my future. I never would have been able to work as a CNA without the endless help from CSL.”