Stories of Impact

What Being a Getting Ahead in a Getting By World Facilitator Means to Me

By Danesha White

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It means purpose.

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My late fiancé died in November 2021. Before his health declined, I was determined to have a career in the medical field. I had already worked for years on and off as a caregiver to elderly patients and had just achieved my state phlebotomy certification. During his health decline, I became his caretaker, and after his death I lost all my passion to take care of another person, at least physically.

I struggled with my purpose for years, and just when I thought I may have it figured out, it disappeared when he died.

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In early 2022, I met Hope and Mandy. They offered for me to take the Getting Ahead program, and at the time I figured, why not? I really had no plans. I was just surviving day to day. Plus, I got a free meal and money at the end, so it didn’t sound like a bad deal to me. I assumed I would just sit there and let these people tell me what I should do and how much I had failed in life so far.

However, I was in for the surprise of my life.

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You see, Getting Ahead is not a financial literacy class. Sure, it touches on how to budget and save, but more importantly, it is a guide that helps you switch your way of thinking. When I took Getting Ahead, something clicked for me, a realization that I don’t have to be stuck in the same place for the rest of my life.

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Getting Ahead doesn’t necessarily teach you; it guides you. It holds up a mirror to your life and says: tell yourself what you see, and tell yourself how you will fix it. The book doesn’t tell you that you have failed at life. Instead, it gives you facts and statistics about how hard life actually is. It shows you the different mindsets of each financial class and helps you, step by step, move toward a different way of thinking.

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Not only did it open my mind to a new mindset, but it also gave me a sense of community. I have met so many people from so many different walks of life, people who have enriched my life in one way or another. The friendships I’ve formed are dear to me, and I know for a fact I would have never even been in the same room with these people before taking the workshop.

When my late fiancé died, I prayed to God to show me my purpose in life. All I knew was that I wanted to help others. I love helping people, but I didn’t know how I could do that without being directly in the medical field.

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After taking the facilitator training to lead a Getting Ahead workshop, I realized God had shown me the way. This is how I will help people. This is my purpose, to help others find theirs.

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Who would have known that the first time I stepped into Main Street Meeting Place in China Grove, my life would be forever changed? I am beyond thankful and blessed for this opportunity, and I am excited to share Getting Ahead in a Getting By World with as many people as I can, to see their eyes light up the way mine once did. When they realize there is hope, there is purpose.

 

Danesha’s story is deeply personal, but it’s not an isolated one. Across our Getting Ahead (English) and Hacia Adelante (Spanish) programs, we see this same kind of growth again and again:

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• 85% of participants leave feeling hopeful about their future

• 80% grow in confidence, motivation, and perseverance

• 80% take concrete steps toward greater financial stability

• 85% increase their awareness of community resources and support systems

• 100% gain new tools and perspectives they can use to move forward

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This is the quiet strength behind stories like Danesha’s. (Stats from 2025)