TOUCH A HEART NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 5, 2026
A Journey of Confidence
When Fern graduated from our foodservice vocational training program in 2019, she gained more than culinary skills—she discovered confidence.
Today, she works as a Customer Service Representative at U-Haul, assisting customers with vehicle and storage rentals while continuing to learn new responsibilities. While she continues to build valuable workplace skills, Fern says the greatest lesson she gained from her time with Touch A Heart was believing in herself.
"I didn't have a whole lot of work experience," she shared. "Touch A Heart helped me with working with people, learning, and having confidence in myself. I had this mindset that I wasn't good enough to do anything."
While technical skills are important, the encouragement she received left the greatest impact. "It wasn't about the actual cooking for me," Fern explained. "It was more about being supported and encouraged to know that I can accomplish things because I didn't know I could."
One memory that still stands out is learning to make shepherd's pie. "It was like a family atmosphere," she recalled. "I never had a dad, and it was like having a man teach us how to cook a meal—a father figure."
Touch A Heart has also become part of Fern's family story. Her son, William, graduated from the same program in 2021. While he's still finding his path, Fern continues to encourage him just as we once encouraged her.
When asked what she would say to someone considering our program, Fern said: "Give yourself a try. It's a short time, but it can be really meaningful. It helps you gain confidence, learn life skills, and sharpen the responsibility and soft skills that employers are looking for."
Fern's journey reminds us that transformation begins when someone believes they're capable of more than they imagined. We're proud of all she has accomplished and look forward to seeing where her journey leads next.