Back row: Blanca Perez, Colleen Hentz, Roger Mercado, Mary Lynn Ziemer, Jo Ellen Keller and Daphne Azpiazu, Front row: Kaysy  Maradiaga, Nilsa Amaya and Emmanuella Charles

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 13, 2013) – Seven Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. staff members recently completed training to become certified life coaches.

According to CCMI’s Division Director of Social Services and Education Roger Mercado, Jr., during the past year, direct service staff within CCMI’s Department of Education and Social Services made the transition from the traditional case-manager model to life coaches.

Staff members who completed the certification are Nilsa Amaya, Daphne Azpiazu, Emmanuella Charles, Colleen Hentz, Jo Ellen Keller, Kaysy Maradiaga and Blanca Perez.

“These coaches’ roles and responsibilities are to help customers of CCMI discover their true potential, assist in changing the way they think regarding goals and accomplishments, and aid and coach customers in making better life choices and decisions,” said Mercado. “Our primary goal is to bring out the powerful potential that lies within each of our staff members. This training will uniquely serve to enhance their abilities and bring their talents to the surface.”

CCMI staff members were coached by Certified Life Coach Mary Lynn Ziemer for 10 weeks prior to being trained as life coaches for another 10 weeks utilizing passive, active and collaborative learning techniques including classroom training, online work, self-study and group work, one-on-one coach training, live coach/client practice modules and more.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation provided $5,000 in funding to help with the training costs for these life coaches who will serve CCMI’s clients throughout the greater Lee County area.

CCMI is an innovative nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. The agency provides more than 15,000 meals each month through its Everyday Cafés and Meals on Wheels programs. CCMI also educates 40 children in its Community Montessori Preschool, offers homeless services and comprehensive case coaching services through its United Way Resource Houses, oversees a community mobile food pantry, as well as school pantries and a weekend backpack program that supplies emergency food to more than 1,500 children each school year.

CCMI serves Fort Myers and the greater Lee County area, including Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres. CCMI works in partnership with United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades, Harry Chapin Food Bank and regional community foundations as well as collaborating with fellow community and service groups including The School District of Lee County and numerous churches, businesses and community support organizations.

For more information, call 239-332-7687 or visit www.ccmileecounty.com.