Maryvette Morales has risen from some of life’s most challenging adversity to become a champion for others who want to have a better life. She has overcome obstacles that might have stopped any mere mortal in their tracks. She has experienced homelessness and faced many financial challenges along the way. She moved from CT to Michigan in 1996 as a single Mom raising 3 children. Diagnosed with lupus, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, arthritis, seizures, and fibromyalgia. Prone to strokes, she was left wheelchair bound in 2012, unable to walk, talk or groom herself. She was in Detroit, Michigan, by herself with no family to help. Her faith in God and her children got her through. Her children: Arlina, Talia and Emmanuel cared for her. They would manage to carry her down the stairs, and her high school aged children would bathe her. They were her hope and her saving grace. Maryvette would not be kept down and, after intense PT, OT, speech therapy and pool therapy, she was back at it in 2013.
When her mom became ill in 2017, Mayvette moved back to Meriden, CT, and was unable to find work because she was overqualified for most positions. She was forced to take the first job that would give her an employment opportunity. She took a pay cut with her experience just to obtain a job that she was underpaid for, all the while helping to care for her mom.
Her qualifications are varied with experience in the medical field, mental health arena, administration and social services. She dreams of establishing her own organization one day to serve homeless, pregnant women. There are not enough shelters in Meriden and currently, with cold weather upon us, there are no warming centers that are going to be available in Meriden. She states this is sad because there are many people that are homeless and out in the cold.
In July 2021, she landed a position with Women and Families Center in Meriden. Her accomplishments with this organization, along with her life experience, speak volumes about her desire, tenacity and capabilities, and, as a result, a position was created for her as Outreach Engagement Specialist. Maryvette provides outreach, promotion, recruitment, enrollment, testing and anything else needed to get the job done. She has also become involved with HOLA (Hispanic Outreach Leaders in Action) and has recently received the Shining Star Award from the Midstate Chamber of Commerce. She has introduced the faith base community to the many resources that are available in the community and organizes resource events with church leaders who want to give back to the community.
She is also an integral part of The WFC Open DOHR Program that provides ESL clases, Employment Training in CNA, EMT, ParaEducator, Culinary and Manufacturing. The program offers occupational skills training, employability skills workshops, holistic case management and follow-up services to enhance participant opportunities for successful job placement, job retention and career advancement. Open DOHR provides youth services through Workforce Alliance to both high school students and out of school youth (ages 18 to 24 years old) in South Central District. It also provides ESL and Employment Training to Adults who are Meriden & Wallingford residents.
With 25 years of nonprofit/advocacy experience, Maryvette is the first point of contact for most individuals who come through the Open DOHR program. She continues to go above and beyond for her clients and has even helped create a survey along with co-workers of the department to determine what else the participants need in order to connect them with the right resources and help them overcome the obstacles that are standing in the way of achieving their hopes and dreams. Her approach is holistic, and she believes deeply that connection and follow through are valuable keys to success. She is very passionate about the work that she does and will continue to do what she can for the community.
TriCircle is proud of the many ways Maryvette and the WFC support the work we are doing. Our populations very often intersect, and there will never be a shortage of people to serve!