Greetings,

Please allow me to introduce my mother, the late Callie Mae Fridge, Workforce Development Extraordinaire. I am her youngest daughter, Dr. SaRrah Fridge-Washington, Founder & CEO of New Life Essentials Community Outreach, Inc. (NLECO) WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. We sincerely appreciate your visit to our website. Your choice to explore what we have to offer amidst the vast online resources demonstrates your organization’s commitment to provide authentic programs that transform lives.

Kouzes and Posner’s leadership model emphasizes the relevance of “Telling the Story,” and I am genuinely passionate about sharing my journey into workforce development that was influenced by my mother affectionately known in our community as the Job Lady (my favorite picture to the left). Her enduring legacy of empowerment and support shaped my life and my career path. Notably, I take great pride in being a testament to her impactful work.

As a child, I observed the effects of compassion and support within my community. Neighbors frequently visited our home, distressed by job losses that impacted them or their loved ones. And with a confident demeanor, my mother would convince them that a visit to her office at Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) was the answer and they would leave inspired.

My own journey commenced in a rather unassuming way. In the summers when school was out, I had the privilege of frequenting the employment office where she worked. Sitting at the vacant metal desks, feeling the warmth of my mother’s colleagues impressed by my desire to imitate them, I absorbed the atmosphere. I envisioned the rewarding experience of serving clients, surrounded by pens, pencils and old forms no longer in use waiting to be filled out by me. In that environment, I felt a sense of purpose and connection to my mother’s work that served people in need.

 Throughout my formative years, I recognized the significant impact of community and opportunity, shaped by my mother's emphasis on a strong work ethic. My duties involved canvassing the neighborhood to distribute application cards for various agencies' mass recruitment initiatives, including the United States Post Office, Illinois Bell, and the Chicago Transit Authority. The sincere appreciation conveyed by our neighbors towards my mother highlighted the supportive spirit that characterized our Roseland community.

As an adult, I actively participated in various training programs that were accessible to me. During this period, initiatives such as WINN, WIA, Manpower, and JPTA played a critical role in equipping individuals for the workforce. I have fond memories of receiving weekly distributions of bus tokens, clothing vouchers from Sears, and waivers that enabled me to enroll at Cortez W. Peters Business College without incurring any out-of-pocket expenses. These short-term programs were instrumental in providing the necessary skills to pursue an entry-level career, allowing me to help support my young family in a matter of months.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape of technology driven occupations, my commitment to providing meaningful solutions is strengthened more than ever as this work requires heart, soul and grit. It requires standing on principle, investing time and energy in others to impact lives and achieve successful outcomes.

In her absence, I am ignited by her unwavering commitment to service. Despite holding only a high school diploma, she exemplified excellence in her role. Her legacy continues to motivate me as I take pride in advancing her mission. As she prepared for retirement from her position as an Adjudicator, she maintained exceptional efficiency in her duties, ensuring that her clients received their unemployment benefits prior to her departure.