“Natazja” arrived to Second Story for Young Mothers with a handful of outfits for her newborn daughter and not much else. She didn’t have a solid family unit – she’d moved from family member to family member growing up, sometimes staying in residential placements, too. Natazja was struggling with her new role as a parent. She didn’t have a mom or aunts or a grandmother to turn to, but she wanted to be a good mother to her baby.
While at Second Story for Young Mothers, Natazja learned how to use public transportation, started taking college classes, enrolled in benefits, and began meeting with Second Story’s counselors. Now that she’s in the program, she’s moving toward self-sufficiency for herself and her daughter. She has housing and support in meeting her other basic needs, but she also has a community of other young mothers and staff to help her learn how to be a good parent – one of the first support systems she’s ever had. She’s grateful for the friendships she’s forming and eager to create a better life for herself and her daughter.