Shadashua Malone

Shadashua Malone was an incredibly young teenager when she had her first child; she had dropped out of school to raise her baby and then became pregnant again a few years later. As a single parent of two, Shadashua was forced to live on Temporary Cash Assistance from the Department of Social Services to support her family. She wanted more for her children than what public assistance could provide, so she resolved to turn her situation around. Her children were her strongest motivators to succeed. She has had two close family members, her sister and her father, pass within the last year and at times she was extremely depressed and yet she somehow pulled from deep within herself to make a better life for her kids.

Shadashua registered with the Western Maryland Consortium and worked on obtaining her GED while also receiving job search assistance. She started with a work experience at Martin’s Food Market in the Deli Department and performed well, thus building her résumé, but she did not want to remain there, so she worked with her career counselor to apply for other positions that paid a better salary and secured a position at Webstaurant, a restaurant supply chain in Cumberland, Maryland.

Since Shadashua met a milestone with securing a full-time position, the Consortium reward her by paying for her driver’s education and learner’s permit. Transportation is a huge necessity in her keeping her position at Webstaurant as an order packer. She receives a good salary as well as medical benefits, vision, dental, and a 401K with a company match. She could not have been more pleased to have landed a position with all these benefits.
Shadashua has worked there for the past three months, and she is happy with what the position has done for her family. She was able to provide a wonderful Christmas for her children this year, and she looks forward to attaining her GED and moving up within the business as well.

The Western Maryland Consortium will continue to assist Shadashua with achieving her GED and retaining her wonderful new job. She has come a long way and with her excellent work ethic, she will continue to succeed and grow.