Ocoee Man, Laid Off After 15 Years, Helps Keep Family Afloat with Help from United Way
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Hardworking, well-meaning people in Central Florida are hurting - many of them families with children. This year the need is the most critical we've seen in decades.
Will you help?
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Ken Lysiak isn’t the type of man who finds it easy to ask for help. A 59-year-old military veteran and resident of Ocoee, Ken worked hard all of his life to support his family.
But when the economy went south and the transportation company he worked for faltered, he lost his job after 15 years of service.
Ken knew he needed to find another job fast. While his own children are grown, he and his wife, Karla, are raising their grandchildren, ages 15 and 5. But despite his willingness to do most any job, Ken could not find work.
With bills piling up and two months behind on his rent, Ken called United Way 2-1-1 where he learned he was qualified to receive temporary rent assistance. United Way case managers also helped him reduce debt, create a workable budget and improve his job skills.
Thanks to job retraining, Ken found a full-time job as a quality control technician and he and his family are doing much better. "I would like to thank United Way for all their help,” he said. “They really kept us afloat during a very difficult time."
When you support United Way, you support our work to help thousands of Central Floridians like Ken and his family who are struggling to survive these difficult times. This holiday season, please consider making a difference with a generous year-end, tax-deductible gift.
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