Surrounded by clients, Founder Unshakeable Debbie Isaacs (3rd from the left) demonstrates the love felt by clients.

UNSHAKEABLE
Inspire. Teach. Empower.

Unshakeable Helps Women Become Financially Independent After Addiction and Trauma

BY DEBBIE HALL
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF UNSHAKEABLE

Unshakeable is one of the most powerful and life-changing nonprofits serving women in Nevada. The foundation, founded by Debbie Isaacs in 2016, has created new paths forward for many following its mission of creating balanced foundations and sustainable financial independence for women throughout Clark County—helping them to be Unshakeable.

Its mission is to guide women recovering from various types of trauma—survivors of human trafficking, domestic and sexual violence, addiction, and homelessness. Unshakeable has guided their return to the workforce for seven years to achieve financial independence.

“This means more than a J.O.B. This means participating in our program for a minimum of two years working with our clients to achieve a career,” says Isaacs.

More than 200 women have graduated from the I AM Series, taking the next step of career coaching, with a sizeable success rate in helping them achieve career goals and find employment.

The organization does this in three phases with its “Power To Employ” Career Development Program.

The first phase is the “I Am” Series, a two-day women’s conference comprising eight to ten workshops that teach women the skills they need to return to the workplace. This includes business acculturation, self-esteem-building, and basic life skills for adults.

“I attend every ‘I Am’ and share my story, and by being vulnerable, we represent to the clients that this happens to everyone,” admits Isaacs.

Phase two involves individual career coaching, which includes an intensive, deep-dive assessment of the individual’s skills and passions to help them find a good fit for employment. This includes what would be called “surviving jobs” that pay the bills and “thriving jobs” as part of a career plan. Sometimes, the clients are housed in temporary shelters or housing and need to start earning a paycheck to move into more permanent housing. “Surviving Jobs” would include big box retailers, fast food establishments, and convenience stores. A “Thriving Job” would be employment that would incorporate the client’s skillset and passions. That also gives the women the opportunity to dream again.

“For us, that is one of our more powerful coaching sessions because, for the first time in many years in a woman’s life, she is asked what she would want to do if there was no fear, lack of finances, or other obstacles. For some of them, there is an emotional reaction. For others, they paint a picture of what they wanted to do if they could,” says Isaacs.

This phase also aims to identify the barriers that hinder clients from finding jobs and encourage growth in those areas. This could include sealing legal records, obtaining I.D.s, receiving professional clothing, and getting food for both people and pets.

Barriers include:

• Emotional—Also known as Imposter Syndrome, where great fear and insecurity exist.
• Criminal background
• Lack of education
• Childcare issues and custody
• Transportation
• Lack of identification and other necessary documentation.

Therapy is offered to clients; its coaches are trained to help those recovering from trauma. The team members of Unshakeable work with many partners and receive daily training and support to help women overcome these barriers. For example, a client might be afraid to ride on a bus or take more than one bus to get to a job. A coach will ride on the bus with the client and help them navigate bus routes and schedules.

Phase three is a business alliance partnership. Unshakeable works with Las Vegas employers willing to give these women a chance, offering interviews and consideration if it is a good fit. The partnership includes Unshakeable mentoring these women in their new jobs and the employer offering schooling or other opportunities for the employees to grow within the workplace.

“The employers we work with understand that we are sending imperfect people. I believe everyone has a desire to help. We work with big and small businesses that offer our clients the opportunity to work and grow within the organization. This could include offering educational programs for business employees,” says Isaacs.

Many of the women have not worked in a job for years due to an addiction. Also, many aspects of the work world have changed, especially since the pandemic. For example, clients of Unshakeable placed for employment in a partner’s business might not know the process of how to inform their employer they are not coming in due to illness. Unshakeable and the partner businesses work together to help these clients succeed by assisting them to understand aspects of their employment. Coaches will “job shadow” and support clients, even if they relapse into addiction or face other obstacles.

Social Sober Events is a way for the community to volunteer by taking a staff member and clients of Unshakeable to coffee or lunch as a way to engage and talk to each other. Each experience is individualized for the comfort of everyone for a memorable experience. There are also other ways to volunteer and serve.

Isaac’s path started when she moved to Las Vegas in 1994 to work as a meeting planner and fell in love with the city. She would continue her career by adding special events and trade show productions. She would then work for the Levy Production Group, producing corporate videos. She moved into the film business as a producer and would create sizzle reels to pitch shows to networks. Isaacs was filming an emotional court hearing as part of a series she had intended to film to pitch as a reality show.

“My attitude at the time was that this will make a great reality show, and I will become the next Mark Burnett [producer of Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, and Shark Tank],” explains Isaacs. “It was called Women in Need of Change in the city of Las Vegas Municipal Court. I entered the courtroom and listened to the women share their stories.” While listening, Isaacs realized she wanted to do more than tell their stories and help change them. The women expressed how they felt they did not belong and were not worthy. Even working in a career as a successful producer, Isaacs realized she could identify with these women and had felt that same way in the past.

Isaacs started visiting other organizations to learn how they helped women. She witnessed the need for rescue, recovery, and therapy. In fact, Unshakeable works with several other nonprofits in Las Vegas to achieve their mission, including SafeNest, ShadeTree, Safe House, Foundation For Recovery, and West Care, as well as many more. But as Isaacs researched how she could make a difference, she realized a great need for continuing aftercare. She knew this was where she could offer women in need a life-changing recovery help and training. There is also no charge to the partners who participate in the programs of Unshakeable.

“I learned how nonprofit organizations work, obtain funding, and how to make this a successful organization,” says Isaacs. “This has been a part of my heart since Day One.”

At Unshakeable, clients are told that “their past doesn’t define you,” which also applies to Isaacs.

In 2007, Isaacs produced the horror film Ghosts of Goldfield, filmed near Tonopah, Nevada, 25 miles north of Goldfield, Nevada. The cast would include former wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. She admits that this movie is the most horrible horror movie ever, but it did begin her career in producing.

Like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Isaac’s friends and clients convinced her to screen the movie as a fundraiser. It has become an annual tradition of an entertaining night of poking fun at the movie, with people screaming at the characters while laughing. The Most Horrible Movie Ever event returned to the Beverly Theater to great crowds.

“The cast was amazing, but it was a terrible script. I have to smile about the movie and how bad it is, but now it gives us a chance to have fun and raise money for Unshakeable.”

The evening included a happy hour, silent auction, and possible Q&A this year.

The Beverly Theater, created by The Rogers Foundation, presents uncommon cinematic, literary, and live experiences in downtown Las Vegas. That includes cinematic connectivity, novel collaborations, and cultural portals in downtown Las Vegas. For more info, visit thebeverlytheater.com.

The name Unshakeable represents that everyone is unshakeable in their foundation. It continues to help women return to the workforce, achieve financial independence, and accomplish some of their goals and dreams.

For more information, visit their website unshakeable.org and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @ WeAreUnshakeable.