[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”30″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Earn her GED? Check. Enroll in college? Check. Win a REACH Grant? Check. Be crowned GED Graduate of the Year? CHECK![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Wendy is a KFC team member with KBP Foods and mother of three determined to make her dreams come true—and the KFC Foundation is helping her make them happen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”50″ bottom_padding=”50″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][nectar_single_testimonial testimonial_style=”bold” text_color=”#000000″ color=”Accent-Color” quote=”KFC helped me achieve my first goal, which was to obtain my GED certificate. Receiving the REACH Grant means a lot to me. It can help me achieve one more goal I have in my life—to study cosmetology.” name=”Wendy”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” bottom_padding=”30″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]On top of earning her GED, enrolling in college and receiving a REACH Grant, Wendy was also selected as the KFC Foundation’s first ever GED Graduate of the Year! All of the KFC restaurant employees who completed the Rise with GEDWorks program in 2020 were eligible to be nominated for this award by their organization, and Wendy’s nomination was selected as the winner by a panel of judges.
Check out the award-winning nomination submitted by Wendy’s Area Coach, Lucia Tinoco.
I would like to nominate Wendy Garcia to become the first Rise with GEDWorks Graduate of the Year! Wendy started this journey in February of this year, and in a short amount of time she was able to earn her GED. She is a single mom of three kids all under the age of 10. She worked full time during the day, and studied in the evening, and late into the night. Wendy ended up having to drop out of school for personal reasons when she was a Sophomore in high school and never gave up on her dream of one day being able to get her GED. She talks with her children about the importance of education and hopes to make them just as proud. The team celebrated this huge milestone with her and were all overjoyed!
To take it another step further, Wendy decided to further her education. She was recently awarded with $2,000 from the REACH Educational Grant Program. She would not have been able to get her GED or further her education if it wasn’t for these life-changing, amazing programs. I look forward to seeing Wendy continue to reach for her dreams.
Wendy noted in her REACH application that her personal motto is “Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it to happen and take steps to make it happen.” I think we can all agree that Wendy is living her motto to the fullest.
Eligible KFC restaurant employees* can get started in Rise with GEDWorks today by downloading the KFC Foundation mobile app or navigating on kfcfoundation.org to Our Programs > Rise with GEDWorks.
*To be eligible for Rise with GEDWorks, you must be employed at a KFC restaurant participating in the KFC Foundation’s Cole Slaw Donation Program.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]