Akevia Dove Award

By Cara Lynn Vogel

Christian Women’s Job Corps is thrilled to celebrate with Akevia Wilson as she has been recognized by National CWJC and the WMU Foundation as the recipient of the Sybil Bentley Dove Award. The Dove Award is funded by an endowment established “to assist women who are rebuilding their lives.” Each year the endowment provides funding for a cash award presented nationally to one current or former CWJC student. The recipient may use this award to further her job skills training or for academic education, which will assist her in becoming independent and enhance her ability to nurture the development of her child/children.

Akevia graduated from the Roanoke-Chowan Christian Women’s Job Corps in April and from Chowan University in May. During her time with CWJC and Chowan, she and her young son have lived at the Britton Ministries Family Care Unit of Baptist Children’s Homes. In her testimony, at her CWJC graduation, she shared that she arrived at Britton Ministries and shortly thereafter at the Roanoke-Chowan CWJC as a traumatized, college dropout who had lost sight of the plans that God had for her life. In the intervening years, she learned how to raise her son (and to be a mother he would be proud of), completed an Associate’s degree and then entered and completed her Bachelor’s degree at Chowan. She reclaimed God’s call on her life to be an educator and this fall she plans to put her degree to work as an elementary teacher.

As she concluded her testimony, she said, “My son will never have to wake up wondering where his next meal will come from or if the light bill has been paid. The cycle of poverty in my life ends today—thanks to you!”

Thanks to You—Your financial support of CWJC NC provides the means for training for site coordinators, such as Pat Byrd at the Roanoke-Chowan site. This training equips new and existing site coordinators to lead CWJC in their own community in a way that is most appropriate for the needs and resources of that community.

Thanks to You—Your prayer support of CWJC provides encouragement to site coordinators, volunteers and participants in the local sites on days of great joy and days that are frustrating.

If you would like more information about supporting either a local site or the state office, please contact Cara Lynn Vogel, cwjcnc@gmail.com or (919) 589-2952.