Even with the added hurdles presented by this past year, many of the youth in our programs, like “Ashley,” are still achieving some of their biggest goals!
Ashley recently graduated from Second Story for Young Mothers and moved into an apartment to live independently with her son, “Cameron.” Before coming to Second Story Ashley suffered verbal and physical abuse from her family. She had very few people who supported her or gave her the encouragement and guidance she needed to be a good parent. When Ashley came to Second Story and met our staff, she quickly began to thrive. Ashley started saving money, carefully budgeting with the help of staff, improved her credit score, and now has nearly $10,000 in her savings account. She also got a certificate in the healthcare field and found a job at a doctor’s office, substantially increasing her income, as well as giving her regular hours so she can spend more time with Cameron.
Ashley has noticed the most change, though, in her family life. Staff have watched her blossom into a thoughtful and caring parent, committed to nurturing her son through positive discipline, a consistent schedule, and a loving environment to help him learn and grow. She’s now a confident mother and feels equipped to guide Cameron as he grows up.
Even when Ashley’s hours were cut this year Second Story was able to provide for Ashley through emergency funding, and her timeline toward self-sufficiency was not interrupted. We were even able to help provide some of the household goods Ashley needed to move into her new apartment.
