Jessica from Housing:
“Having a place for my children and myself to be able to come home to and call somewhere home is more than I could have asked for.” -Jessica, Housing Participant
Jessica and her kids were one of the first families to move into Clare Place, New Moms’ permanent supportive housing in Oak Park. Before New Moms, Jessica had been bouncing around from place to place with her children after being kicked out of her mother-in-law’s house. She said the best part of Clare Place is that she’s able to give her growing children their own room.
As part of the housing program, Jessica’s family partners with one of our New Moms coaches who is there to help them set and pursue their goals for the future. Jessica said her coach, Paula, is “amazing” and is a good listener always encourages Jessica to follow her dreams. Jessica’s plans for the future include finding another job in health care. She was laid off because of the pandemic but wants to get back into the field by pursuing a Registered Nurse (RN) degree and becoming a pediatric nurse.
Shutia from Job Training:
“I’m gaining all the tools I need to be successful. They teach us things we can take with us through life.” -Shutia, Production Assistant in Job Training
Shutia is the proud mother of three young boys but as a single mother, she feels double the pressure to provide for her children. This is why losing her job at Marshalls during the pandemic was especially stressful. She could only buy the essentials and had to keep to a strict family budget.
Since many customer service jobs have disappeared because of COVID-19, Shutia decided to enroll in New Moms’ Job Training program. She said she enjoys being a production assistant at our social enterprise candle-making company, Bright Endeavors, because likes working with the other moms in the program. Shutia’s goal is to save $1,000 by the end of her 12 weeks in the program so she can move into her own apartment. To accomplish this, New Moms helped Shutia open her first ever savings account. In addition to making her feel stable, Shutia is also excited by the new possibilities available to her family.
Lauryn from Family Support:
“I was determined that I have to get my degree and have this baby. I really had a really great support system. People there to give me an extra push.” -Lauryn, Family Support Participant
Lauryn was pursuing her Associate’s degree at Trident College and starting a new job when she found out she was pregnant. Lauryn’s long-term plan included earning her business degree and eventually owning her own property management business. With the news of her pregnancy, she remained committed to those goals but knew she also needed special support to help her transition into motherhood.
She partnered with a New Moms doula and personal coach to support her through her pregnancy. And with additional help from her mom and boyfriend, she was able to graduate with her Associates in April 2020. It took hard work – she even turned in an assignment while at the hospital during labor – and she is proud of her accomplishment. She still meets regularly with her New Moms coach and now her goal is to complete her bachelor’s degree in business management.
