Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Vela.
Hi Elizabeth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in Pleasant Grove, we went through many obstacles throughout my life. I knew I wanted better not only for myself but for my grandmother to retire and not have to worry about taking care of kids her entire life. She raised my cousins and I (total of 10) after my mom passed away when I was 10yrs old. I graduated from H Grady Spruce and was one of the first to be accepted into college. I was a first-generation high school graduate and first generation to go to college as well. I completed my bachelor’s in criminal justice in 2013 and began my career in the court system, where I quickly knew that this was not where I belonged. I wanted to help the community, to do more, so I began to look for something that would best fit my needs. I was hired at North Texas Food Bank around 2014 and absolutely love what I do. I began as a Case Assistance Navigator helping the community apply for State programs and connect them to resources they needed and now promoted to a Field Manager who has a team of 9 who do the same. Throughout these years, I lost my uncle who helped raise me due to COVID, and a few months later my cousin who I was raised with due to a drug overdose. I promised myself I would do more in the community in order to honor their name, so I applied to Grad School and now am in the last semester of earning my master’s in social work from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing up without a mother or father, I didn’t have much support, and my grandmother was doing this all alone, so I had to grow up very quickly. In high school, I became a Teen mom, and I had all the odds against me. No one believed I could make it through high school, let alone college but my grandmother. I took my son with me to college and proved everyone wrong. I then also had the privilege to take in my niece who was about 7 at the time, and fully care for as if she was my own. It has been hard to raise my children (2 boys 15 and 7 yrs. old, and my niece- 15 yrs. old) as a single mother but also being a caregiver to my now 80-year-old grandmother. Throughout the years I continue to help out where I need to and am only a call away for my family. I would not change this for the world because, without these bumps in the road, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work for North Texas Food Bank as a Field Manager for our Social Services Team. I help my team with implementing new processes into the field in order to help the community apply for State benefits from Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). We help with resources to not only end hunger but connect them with jobs, education, clothing, financial needs, and more. We really do go above and beyond to help meet our neighbors’ needs, so it’s a simple process for them. I am mostly proud of where I started and how much I have grown as an individual and as a manager. I am not afraid to get back into the field and do what my teams does; I jump quickly into action when needed and get the job done. I love the flexibility to help meet our clients’ needs and hearing the stories of their success is so rewarding.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
It is very important to have compassion, simply being able to understand our client’s needs and even to let them know that I too once needed help goes a long way. It is very important to be there for my Latino community and let them know to not be afraid and walk them through step by step, even if that means following up to ensure they received the help they needed. You don’t have to have the same experiences as our neighbors do but simply understanding and caring can make a huge difference, smile as tomorrow is never promised.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Rosendo Guerrero
Rey Guerrero
Estrella Alvardo
Jesus Vela
Jose Vela
Maria Coronado
Estela Vela
