"Jalissa Daniels wrote dark poetry as an early adolescent...She became pregnant at 15, graduated from Scavo Alternative High School and worked at convenient stores and temp agencies. Even though these jobs helped pay the bills, they were not fulfilling...Finding full-time work with benefits was looking grim...

The Rev. Diane McClanahan, one of the pastors at Trinity United Methodist Church, encouraged Jalissa to consider a new program called Project IOWA, which was initiated by AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy)...."

This 'Village' is Helping the Underemployed, Des Moines Register