For Marlene Barnett, a mother of three young sons living in Detroit, Michigan, a career in healthcare was never just a passing thought; it was a calling she had heard since childhood. Growing up with family members working across the healthcare field, those closest to her saw it too. As far back as age ten, family and friends told her this was exactly where she would thrive. That conviction grew into a concrete goal: a career in anesthesiology. Marlene even began taking class

For Kylie G., the path into healthcare began early, but the road was far from straightforward. In her 11 th -grade year at her high school career center, something clicked. “I always wanted to do nursing because I like helping people,” she recalls. She enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course and set her sights on a healthcare career, only to encounter a barrier the system had no plan to help her overcome: test anxiety. Due to her test-taking issues, Kylie faile

When Marty Johnson first began hearing about the Nursing Home Workforce Stabilization programs at MediLodge Shoreline in Sterling Heights, Michigan, the opportunities seemed almost too good to be true. Flyers posted near the time clock, text messages about workshops, and encouragement from supervisors all pointed to new resources for workers. “I was so happy when we got that text,” Marty recalls. “It makes a difference, because that’s how everybody communicates. I thought—yes

When Hope first noticed the posting about the free Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program on his employer’s bulletin board at MediLodge of Ludington, Michigan, he honestly wasn't sure what to make of it. “It was when H-CAP Coordinator Liz came by and explained all the different programs that everything clicked for me,” he explains. “Having someone walk me through the opportunities made all the difference.” Through the Michigan Nursing Home Stabilization program,

Noor Alyassiri is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Villa at Parkridge in southeastern Michigan. When she first heard about the Nursing Home Stabilization Grant during a meeting in the activities room at work, she was immediately interested in the reimbursement program that could help support her family. "I always like to help people," Noor said when sharing her passion for caregiving. "I worked as a daycare worker, and always loved communicating with families." But li

Lanae Seaworth learned about the apprenticeship program while working as a case manager at Valeo Vocation in Tacoma, Washington. With eight years of experience in the mental health field and three years as a case manager helping individuals experiencing homelessness, she realized that earning her Peer Certification could change how she connected with the people in her care. The program exceeded her expectations. Through Olympic College, Lanae earned college credits that coul

(Worker name changed for privacy) Jennifer is a Resident Care Manager at an assisted living facility in Michigan. While she was working as a housekeeper at a nursing facility, she felt as if she could do more: "My job was cleaning, but I wasn't fulfilled," she says. It was the residents at the facility who made her start thinking differently about her career path. They would repeatedly say to her, "You would be a great CNA." When her employer introduced her to H-CAP's Nursi

At H-CAP, we believe the path to a stronger healthcare system and more representative workplaces begins with investing in workers’ voices, rights, and power.

When Anaiah Cunningham found out about the benefits being offered through the Michigan Nursing Home Stabilization Grant at her employer MediLodge of Montrose, she knew immediately that this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Working as a Medication Tech, Anaiah was ready to take the next step in her healthcare career, but the financial barriers seemed insurmountable—until she learned about the scholarship program. "Someone came in at our job and was just speaking