“When my family came to America, none of us spoke English. My stepfather was abusive and my mother worked three jobs. I took care of my four sisters, cooked, cleaned, and worked whatever manual labor I could find. There was no time for school. Then I became pregnant. I found myself alone and could barely afford food and diapers for my children.

Then one day I saw an ad for a WAVE program. WAVE helped me with job skills, math, English and writing, and my counselor helped me with interviewing skills and dress. I passed the GED and got my very first good job.

Now I have a career and I own my own home. I owe so much to WAVE!”

    –Diana Manzo, WAVE graduate