Kellee’s Story

Kellee was living with family until a dispute caused her and her children, now aged four and five, to move into the Night Ministry, where she stayed before coming to New Moms. At first she was skeptical about moving into New Moms, especially because it meant she would no longer be able to do hair out of her own apartment. But she realized the great opportunity that this would be for herself and her children, grew excited about the program, and decided to move in. She didn’t give up on her dream of doing hair though, keeping her studio chair set up in the corner of her apartment to inspire her to work towards her goals.

While at New Moms, Kellee graduated from Truman College with a culinary certificate and is hoping to eventually go back to school to earn her cosmetology license. She found a job at the airport and began to earn enough to support her family.

Kellee recognizes there were lots of ups and downs during her time at New Moms. She struggled to find reliable childcare as her work schedule shifted around. Her struggles with mental health were a challenge, but through a positive coaching relationship with her Family Support Specialist Teneca, she was able to resume taking her medication and began to feel better. While she used to speak at the floor, Kellee now walks around smiling vibrantly.

As soon as she moved in to New Moms, Kellee began working hard to find her family stable housing for when they would exit the program. She looked for housing nonstop for over a year, trying hard to find a 3-bedroom apartment so that there would be enough space for her children to play and for her to be able to do hair. After all of the hard work of applying to different affordable housing programs and scouring the private market, she was able to find a 3-bedroom apartment that she could afford and her family moved out of New Moms Transformation Center in the spring of 2019.

After intentionally seeking out coaching for guidance on how to save money and plan financially, Kellee has learned how to manage her money and recognizes the importance of being able to pay her bills on time, especially now that she’s moved out of New Moms. She plans to go back to school to receive her cosmetology license in about a year, after her family has had time to settle into the new apartment and she’s been able to grow her savings. Her ultimate goal is to receive a degree in business and open up her own hair studio.

Kellee’s grateful to New Moms for all of the growth she’s experienced, saying that “New Moms is a good place if you need a fresh start.”

We’re proud of Kellee and all the work she did to strengthen her family! We look forward to seeing her continue to achieve her goals and being able to support her however we can.