ANNOUNCEMENT:
We are now on YouTube! You can watch the video on our channel here:
Season 2, Episode 18: Armishia Wiley-Adams
SEASON 2, EPISODE 18
My guest for this episode is Founder and Executive Director of H.U.T.C.H. (Help United Through Caring Hands), Armishia Wiley-Adams.
Armishia was raised by her grandmother and uncle after her mother died when she was eight. She became pregnant in high school and dropped out. After having two more children before the age of 22, Armishia became determined to get off government assistance. She earned her GED followed by a Bachelor’s in Organizational Management with a specialization in Human Resources Management and then a Master’s in Organizational Management with a specialization in Organizational Leadership.
Over her decades of working in HR and making job placements, she was keenly aware of the gaps and flaws in the system where women were consistently referred for jobs that they were unqualified to keep. Armishia’s passion for helping women break out of poverty drove her to found her nonprofit H.U.T.C.H. Their mission is to teach women of all ages to become self-sufficient and workforce ready.
During this interview, Armishia and I talk about everything from referrals and assessments to job training and placement; from George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks to voter suppression and what it’s like being an African-American mom in the Atlanta area, andwe also talk about the pandemic’s impact on programs and the board. Through it all, Armishia generously shares her triumphs and struggles of running a nonprofit all while holding down a full time job in HR.
As you know, I finished recording all the podcasts for this year months ago, and yet, each one has been released at a specific time for a specific reason. And I’ve been holding this interview until now because my guest holds a Vision Board Workshop every January…and I want you to consider sponsoring at least one woman to attend this because it will literally change her life.
🎧 Click here to listen to this episode:
About Armishia Wiley-Adams
Armishia was raised by her grandmother and uncle, after her mother passed when she was only eight years old. Armishia had her first child at 16, as a result she did not graduate from high school. Although she had two more children, her second at the age of 19, and her third by the age of 21, she was determined to finish her education and worked to receive her GED.
Armishia had to raise her children on public assistance and live in government subsidized housing. Realizing she wanted better for herself and her children, she decided to take advantage of an opportunity given to her to pursue a college degree. Most expected that she would not complete the program and become just another statistic.
Again, she was determined to finish what she had started and get her degree. Not only did she earn her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management w/specialization in Human Resource Management, she also earned her Master’s in Organizational Management w/specialization Organizational Leadership. Armishia’s decisions to get her GED and earn two college degrees changed the trajectory of her life.
She was able to move out of government housing, get off public assistance, and enter the workforce as a professional. She has raised her children in three of the homes she purchased over the years. She has worked for the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) since 2002. One of her most rewarding and enriching experiences at DHS was working to help citizens from her community to find employment with the Welfare to Work Program. After years of soul-searching and continuous self-development, Armishia Wiley-Adams was motivated to transform her tribulation into triumph. In 2018 she founded her non-profit organization, Help United Through Caring Hands, Inc. (H.U.T.C.H), to teach women of all ages how to become self-sufficient and workforce ready. Armishia feels that if she was able to overcome life’s adversities, other women can find the strength and determination to do so also. She has a passion for helping others, especially women that are currently facing the similar challenges she has faced. She was extended a hand and given a chance to create the life she knew she wanted to live. Help United Through Caring Hands (H.U.T.C.H) is her way of giving a hand to those that need it most. Her organization gives Armishia a chance to pay it forward and positively impact families that will be touched through the women that participate in her program.
🔗 H.U.T.C.H
Website: https://www.hutchatl.org/
Donate: https://www.hutchatl.org/support-us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hutchatl/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/help-united-through-caring-hands/about/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hutch_atl
🙌 Connect with Armishia Wiley-Adams
Armishia Wiley-Adams, MAOM
Help United Through Caring Hands, Inc.
Mailing Address:
6691 Church Street #961981
Riverdale, GA 30274
Phone: 678-948-8247
Email: armishia.wiley-adams@hutchatl.org
🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:
