With the current state of our nation, inspiration has become hard to come by. Today, we wanted to highlight local Philadelphia mother, Chanta Scott, who has been honored with the 2020 Inspiration Award from JEVS Human Services.
From a young age, Chanta Scott has faced a multitude of challenges that have shaped who she is today. Due to her mother’s struggles with addiction and her father’s absence, she spent several years in foster care.
“I had to be an adult at an early age, but I knew I wanted to go to school and go to work and take care of myself,” Scott said. Today, she is a dedicated and loving mother of nine children; seven of which have been diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and autism.
She made the decision to enroll in JEVS Work Ready Program last year. It had been 8 months since an injury caused her to lose her job, but she knew spending four weeks with a program called Five9 would help her gain the extra skills needed to be successful. She learned call center software, how to interact with customers, take after-call actions and further develop her writing skills. From there, she was able to manage her home life and fight through her barriers as she worked towards employment.
“She embodies positivity. Life happens, but she keeps moving.”
Valerie Jackson, JEVS Work Ready Instructor
Armed with essential knowledge gained from the staff at JEVS, she earned a full-time position working in the ER department at Jefferson University Hospital. Scott preps operating rooms for incoming patients, who are increasingly gunshot victims. Should the patient pass away, she also transports the individuals to the morgue.
Scott is aware that it can be incredibly difficult to break free of trauma and negativity before it breaks you. After giving birth to her seventh child, Scott turned to exercise to manage her weight and stress. As a devout Muslim, Scott says exercise and prayer get her through — both which she highly recommends, as well as gratitude.
Being able to care for her family helped push Scott forward and put things into perspective. Even with COVID-19 and the uncertainty that currently floods our lives, she is in a wonderful place both professionally and personally. Let her life and story serve as the inspiration we may need to overcome adversity and become more resilient individuals. Check out her story by clicking here!
Information provided by The Philadelphia Inquirer.