My name is Catherine D. Cornish and I have worked as a Q.C. Mammography Technologist and Radiology Technologist since 1997. I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1996 and was trained to be a Radiologist Specialist upon graduating in 1997 with a Professional Certificate from the AMEDD Academy, Fort Sam Houston, TX. Since then I have worked and supported my son with this career.
My interest in providing housing for struggling families began with my own struggle to provide for my family when I lost my job. I was working as a contractor and the contract ended. I immediately applied for welfare benefits and was put on the housing subsidy waiting list. In the meantime, I struggled with a few part-time jobs to pay the rent and make ends meet until I chose to go back to college. From there I applied for the maximum amount of financial aid (student loans, Pell grants, a scholarship) and lived off the refund after my college tuition was paid for. Before going to college I was not aware of the many programs available to people with low-income, e.g. child-care subsidies, utility bill assistance, medical care assistance, food & housing subsidies, etc. I was very fortunate to receive enough assistance enabling me to pay the rent, and my family was not homeless. In addition I took a few business classes with the Entrepreneur Studies Department and became interested in starting a non-profit community based organization that provided affordable housing and education on available housing resources for those in need.
A few years ago, I began working as a contract Mammography Tech again and was fortunate to be offered full-time employment. Today I am a homeowner and landlord (my home has a 1 bedroom apartment built onto it), and now I am very motivated to give back to those who helped me and to those still in need of help. As a result I started the non-profit charitable organization, Home Assist, Inc. with the Mission of:
“Our mission is to provide safe, affordable housing to people on a fixed income, and provide education on housing resources to those in need of a home. This goal will be accomplished by buying houses, making them safe and habitable, and available to rent or buy to the homeless, veterans, students, the elderly on a fixed income, and working class families.
Home Assist, Inc. will also work with other community organizations to locate housing needs, and educate all those interested in available housing resources.”
Also, I earned an Associates of Applied Science degree in Information & Cyber Security (Cum Laude) from Anne Arundel Community College in 2012; and I earned a Bachelor of Science in Radiology Science (Summa Cum Laude) from Pima Medical Institute in 2013.